Never Ending Racetrack
by Melody Malone
Summary: When Stella and the brothers come back from a four-month world tour, they find serious changes in Macy, and she won't explain them. In time they become apparent, but how can they help Macy overcome what's happened? Eventual Nacy, some Joella.
1. Where's Macy?

**Chapter 1 - Where's Macy?**

"_Hey Macy, how are you doing?"_

"_Oh yeah, I'm good. How are you? And the boys?"_

"_Oh my god Macy, this tour is amazing! The set just blows my mind, even if I do keep needing to fix Joe's pants when he singes them from getting too close to the fire. And the boys are loving it! They did their last show in Paris last night, and they're in Belgium tonight!"_

"_That's great, that's really great."_

"_Are you okay Mace?"_

"_Yeah, of course I am silly, I've just had a long day at the store, that's all."_

"_Well, you're coming to the show when we come to New Jersey, right? There's a backstage pass in it for you!"_

"_Um, actually Stell, I can't, I forgot when the tickets went on sale, and it's sold out now."_

"_Macy Misa, forgetting that tickets for Jonas went on sale? I never thought I'd see the day!"_

"_Well, I guess now you have...Look Stell, I'm really sorry, but I'm so tired and you probably have clothes to mend and stuff."_

"_Well, okay Macy, if you're sure. The backstage pass is still yours though, even if you don't go to the show. The guys would love to see you."_

"_I'll see, I promise. I love you, Stells."_

"_Love you Mace."_

That had been the last conversation Stella or the boys had had with Macy, and it had left Stella feeling uneasy, and feeling bad for leaving Macy for so long. The Jonas World Tour had started in the middle of May, just before school broke for the summer, and they had been on the road until the second week in September, a week or so after school was back in session, and hadn't had much time for being at home in between. But they had offered Macy the chance to come as soon as school broke for the summer, but Macy's mom had said no, and whereas Macy would normally fight for the answer to be changed in any Jonas-related fight, she seemed to have just accepted she couldn't go. Things had got even weirder when after that phone call in mid-August, Macy never showed up at their New Jersey concert, and when Stella came by her place above the thift store, she saw that there was a sign on the door saying the store would be closed that weekend, so Stella assumed they had gone on vacation, and that was why Macy hadn't come. That had to be the only reason, after all.

But when Macy still didn't return their calls, and didn't call at all herself, Stella realised what must be happening. Macy was upset she was missing out on all of this. While Stella could tour with them, because it was her job, Macy was stuck at home, managing her fanclub meetings, and having to act just like a normal fan again, finding out gossip from gossip blogs instead of from their mouths, and only being able to see them on videos posted. So as soon as her and the boys had slept for a day or so, to come down from the hype, she was excited for them to go into school, and see Macy. Stella had texted her to let her know they were coming back today, but didn't have a response, and Stella didn't really know what to think about that. Having received their schedules for the new year, Stella, Nick and Joe said their goodbyes to Kevin as he left for his class, and walked in. A few new girls shrieked at the appearance of two of Jonas in their algebra class, but their eyes instead were on the lack of one hyper girl at their presence. Macy wasn't there.

"Where is she?" Joe asked, taking his seat behind Stella.

"Wow Joe, I didn't know I was a psychic now." She replied, balling up a piece of paper and throwing it backwards in the direction of his face, however with her bad co-ordination, it ended up hitting a girl a few rows to the side instead. "Sorry!" announced Stella, silencing herself, while Joe smiled, smugly.

As class ended, their teacher called to Stella, and she frowned at herself. _Great, I've been in school for an hour tops, and already Joe is getting me in trouble._

"Look, Mr Foster, that paper ball was not entirely my fault, and I'm sorry for it, but—"

"Miss Malone, that isn't what this is about. I was just wondering if you could take these assignments and worksheets to Miss Misa for me. Tell her that it's okay, and to take her time on them."

"I...I will." Said Stella, frowning considerably as she slipped the pieces of paper into her messenger bag. "Is...Macy sick? I mean, I expected her to be in today, so..."

"Miss Misa hasn't been in since the start of term. Her mother said that she's fine, just has a contagious bug, and she'll be back to school as soon as possible. But in the meantime, she asked for her work to be sent home to her."

"Oh, well. Thank you for telling me." Stella said, smiling politely as she left the classroom, even more confused. A bug? Macy's immune system was always a priority to her, especially once school was in session, and she had her teams to lead to victory. Macy had once told her 'Getting sick is what the summers for. If it really has to be at all'. Macy must be feeling really bad then that she got sick, and Stella mentally decided she would check on her after school. After all, she needed to give her the work she had collected anyway, so it'd be a good time to sit down with her and catch up. During her next few lessons, she was given more work to give to Macy, and she learnt a lot of things that shocked her, and she needed to talk to the brothers as a matter of urgency. As soon as the bell rang for lunch, she rushed through the cafeteria, skidding to a halt at her, Macy, and the brother's usual table. There were a group of freshman sitting there, who moved with one glare from Stella, and as soon as she saw the boys walk in, she ushered them over to her.

"Okay, something big is going on with Macy, and when I say big, I mean...crazy, alien-like, big."

"Oh, the little green type? I'd love to meet them." Said Kevin, grinning to himself. Nick gave him a look, before turning back to Stella.

"Anyway, what's so big that you have to give it such a big dramatic opening?" He asked.

"Macy's handed over her captaincy in all her sports to someone else."

"What?!" Said Joe, looking at her incredulously. "That's insane! Why would she stop playing!"

"Well, she hasn't, she just said she doesn't want to captain the teams anymore. But she _loved_ doing that, that's what I don't get. But maybe it was stress, I know she wasn't playing a lot of games just before we left for the tour. And um... there's something else."

"Don't tell me it gets worse!" Gasped Kevin.

"Oh, you can bet it does." She said, leaning in closer. "Macy...disbanded the Jonas fan club." There was silence around the table, as no-one quite knew what to say to that.

"...Shut up." Joe said at last.

"It's true, Fred told me." Stella said, frowning. "She said that she just couldn't do it anymore. Didn't even hand the presidency to anyone else, just declared the club closed.

"Doesn't she like us anymore?"

"It can't be that, Kevin. I'm pretty sure Macy liked us more than she liked breathing." Nick spoke suddenly, looking up from his brooding. "And now she's not at school?"

"That's because she's sick. Allegedly, that is. She hasn't been in since the start of term."

"Stella, don't you think you're taking this whole thing...a little too seriously? I mean, so what she misses a little school, big deal. We miss school all the time. Just calm d—Ouch, what was that for!" Joe said, rubbing his arm.

"Because you _know_ Macy would never stop caring about her sports, or you guys, or school!" Stella narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm going to have to take a rain check on coming over today, is that okay?"

"But there's no rain forecast..." Kevin furrowed his brow, looking around at Stella, Joe and Nick.

"She means she can't come over tonight, because she's going to go and check on Macy. Really we should all go over, I mean, if she's upset it's because she couldn't come on the tour, right? And she's probably feeling left out, so we should all go over and try and make her feel part of the group again. Just like normal." Nick said.

"I like your idea," said Stella, thinking about it for a second. "But I think right now, if she's unhappy, she's gonna want some girl time, and in case you hadn't noticed, I am a girl."

"That's debatable... Ouch! Stella, will you quit doing that!" Said Joe, glaring at her.

"_As_ I was saying, I'll go by, see what's up, and then you can go and see her some other time. Does that sound okay with everyone?" Stella asked, looking around the table to see if there were any complaints. "Okay, good! So unless you're Joe, and I'm forced to be in class with you, I'll call you tonight!" Getting up from the table, she shot Joe another look, before leaving for her locker.

With a bag full of Macy's work, Stella walked towards the thrift store, ringing the bell on the front desk, and leaning on it, waiting for someone to answer. It had barely changed at all in the store, even some of the displays of clothes were the same, and Stella made a mental note that with the ensembles that the mannequins were wearing, it was no surprise the clothes weren't selling. There was a display in the window of Jonas items, and Stella really hoped that they weren't Macy's. Normally she would just go straight through when she knew that Macy was there, but as she was sick, she was probably in bed, and she didn't want to go straight up in case her mom didn't want her to. She drummed her fingers on the desk, waiting for someone to answer. Her mom never normally took this long.

"Hi! How can I help--" The peppy voice Stella heard a second ago suddenly changed. "Oh. Stella, hi." Came a shy, awkward voice, and Stella looked up surprised to see Macy was standing there.

"Macy, what are you doing here?"

"I'm just covering the store. Mom had to run out to collect some clothes from the retirement home."

"But sweetie, you're sick, you can't be working when you're sick, you need to be getting better." Stella's voice was full of concern as she frowned at her best friend.

"No I just..." Macy cut herself off, deep in thought. "Just, don't worry. Did you wanna see my mom for something?"

"No, I came to see what was wrong. You haven't called me since August, you're not at school, you're not even the team captains anymore, you disbanded the fan club..."

"Stella it's nothing, I swear. I just...need some 'me time', you know?"

"Me time doesn't include disbanding a fan club, or...Selling your things." Stella motioned to the Jonas display, and when Macy made no attempt to deny they were hers, she frowned. "We waited for you at the New Jersey show..."

"I went away for a while. With my mom and nana." She said, her voice seeming slightly robotic, not like Macy at all. As if she had rehearsed that line in the mirror for a long time.

"Well...Alright." Said Stella, her eyes deep with concern. "Okay well...how about you close the store for a little while and we can go upstairs and talk? We haven't done that in forever, and I have so much to catch you up on! We can make ice cream floats, I can give you stuff to update your website... The guys want to come over and see you tomorrow anyway. And if you _really_ insist, I have your homework, and we can make a start on it?" Stella watched Macy's face, hoping one of her suggestions would lighten it.

"My place is a mess right now, I really don't want you to see how untidy it is, and plus, I did promise my mom I'd watch the store for her." Said Macy, obviously forcing a smile. "But thank you for coming to see me, you are so sweet." She walked around the counter, and hugged Stella. "I love you, you know that right? You're my best friend."

"Aww, Mace. I love you too." Stella smiled. "Well, feel better okay? Have some more me days, I'll come and see you?"

"I'll call you." Said Macy, not giving a yes or a no, which only concerned Stella more.

"I'll hold you to that." Stella said smiling, and leaving the store. Once she left, she saw Macy pace over to the front door, flip the sign to a closed one, and she watched through the window as Macy glanced over at her Jonas items, rubbed her eyes, and turned to walk back up the stairs to her apartment. Stella knew that whatever was wrong with Macy, it was going to take more than ice cream and gossip to solve.


	2. First Day Back

**An: Sorry for how late this is, I knew what I was doing, but I just wanted to make it good. Thank you so much for all your reviews and story alerts! It really does mean a lot to me. Also I retitled it, I didn't feel it fit anymore. x**

**Chapter 2 – First Day Back**

Again, Stella didn't hear from Macy for a week. She would go by the store, and it was either closed, or her mom was working, and said that she wasn't in, which Stella knew was a lie as she was practically stalking the store, and knew Macy hadn't left. She'd taken Joe on several of these stakeouts, once that he spent the entire time laughing at her, and suggesting that maybe Macy just didn't like her anymore, which got him a hard slap from Stella. She knew that couldn't be it.

"Movement," Said Joe, as they sat in their car on the same street as the store one day before school. Stella had begged Joe to go with her one last time, as Nick would spend the entire time scribbling lyrics, and Kevin's idea of inconspicuous involved knocking on the door and saying hello. Stella looked over her sunglasses that were attempting to disguise her, to see Macy at the window of her room, dressed in her school uniform, but showing no sign of wanting to go anywhere. Her hair was flat and lifeless, her complexion washed out, and there were bags under her eyes.

"She looks awful!" Exclaimed Stella. "Girl needs a makeover, stat. I need my emergency supplies."

"Woah woah, step away from the curling iron." Said Joe. "She's been away from school for weeks, and fine I didn't agree with you at first, and I'll never say this again but...you were right. This isn't her. And I'm sure a makeover isn't high on her agenda. Am I right?"

"...Agenda. Where'd you pick that word up from? Nick?" Was all Stella said, getting out of her car and still planning on catching Macy outside of the store, or any time before she got to school.

"I can read, thank you very much." Said Joe, getting out of the car after her to stop Stella doing anything too crazy.

"The side of a box of Crunchy Cats doesn't count!" She snapped, hitting him on the arm. He stared at her, shaking his head, and they headed into the main store. There was already a sign on the door to say that they were open, so Stella and Joe walked in. The Jonas display on the window had a sold sign displayed in front of it now, but other than that, the store remained the same. Stella sighed, and peaked over the desk to see if there was anyone in the store. When she couldn't see anything, she called out a few times to see if there was anyone downstairs, but all she got in response was the sound of feet stomping on the floor from upstairs, and a slightly raised voice, but she couldn't tell who it was. Waving to Joe, the two snuck behind the desk, to the back room where they could hear things a little better, and the volume of Macy's voice stunned them into silence.

"I don't wanna go to school, I wanna stay here!"

"Sweetheart, it's just a couple of hours, and then you can be home again. You need to go to school, have a life, socialise with your friends."

"I want to stay here!" There was a sob in her voice, and it ripped at Stella's heart, and she looked over at Joe, where she could see he was still listening intently.

"Macy..." Her mother's voice was softer than hers, and they heard the creak of the floorboards as she paced across the floor to her daughter's side. "I can take care of things here, baby, I promise. Everything will be okay." All that could be heard for a few moments was the sound of sobbing, muffled assumably by her head being pressed to her mother, trying to calm her down.

"But what if—" Macy begun, but her mother shushed her.

"I have everything I need. Your cell phone is charged up if I need anything, which I _won't_, it's merely for your peace of mind."

"Momma..."

"Go and find Stella, you said yourself that she misses you, and I know you miss her, too. And the boys."

"I don't miss them." Stella looked at Joe again, who's eyes were wide.

"What the—" He began to say, but Stella quickly locked a hand over his mouth so that they were caught. At the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, Stella quickly grabbed Joe's hand, and pulled him through the back room, around to the front of the desk, and rung at the bell on the desk, looking as if they'd just got there. As Stella expected, Macy showed up seconds later, with her school bag slung over her shoulder.

"Oh...Hi." She said, training her eyes onto Stella, and not looking at Joe at all.

"Hey Macy! You coming to school today?" Asked Joe, smiling, wanting to make up for whatever he _didn't_ do. _'Girls can be crazy at times, I swear'_ He thought to himself, as Macy only glanced over before looking at Stella again.

"I was going to get the bus—"

"Nonsense," Stella said, grabbing Macy's bag, forcing Macy to follow them outside. "I have my car here, and I am here, so I can drive you to school! We _both_ can, right Joe?"

"Right, right..." Said Joe, taking the back seat as Macy took the front next to Stella, clutching her bag close to her, and looking at her cell phone every few seconds. "So how's the website?" Joe asked, once Stella started up the car.

"Gave it to Molly."

"What?"

"I didn't wanna run it anymore. So I gave it to Molly." Repeated Macy, before looking at Stella. "Have I missed all that much at school?"

"Well not really just—"

"Wait! Hold up a minute! You just gave it away...like some kind of...unwanted puppy? Who are you?!" Said Joe, leaning into the front seat to look at her. Macy stared back, before turning away from them both, and facing the door. The rest of the drive was silent, Stella gripping the steering wheel so tightly, her knuckles turned white. Joe gulped. He knew that he was so dead once Stella stopped the car.

When Macy stepped out of the car, she said a quick thank you to Stella, before looking at her phone again, and seeing she had no missed calls or text messages, she rushed into school. Joe was about to follow her, but got several slaps on the arm from Stella.

"Ow! Stop, ow! Hitting, ow! ME, OW!" He said, grabbing his arm as soon as she stopped.

"_Step away from the curling iron, Stella!_" She mimicked. "What about _you_ stepping away from the interrogation, Joe! She didn't need that!"

"She hates us, I just wanted to know what I've done wrong!"

"She'll tell us eventually! If I have to back off, you have to as well! It's not like she'd tell _you_ the reason, anyway! If it's you she has a problem with that is!"

"But I just, Ow! Stop hitting me!" He said again, taking a step away from her. She narrowed her eyes, motioned to her school bag heavy with various pieces of material and supplies to work on during her free period, and walked ahead. Joe let out a heavy sigh, and picked it up, pulling it along at her request. Sometimes he hated that he was so crazy for this girl.

As they got into class, they noted that somehow Macy had managed to manoeuvre herself to a seat surrounded by people she didn't know, also on the opposite side of the classroom to Nick, who had his regular seats behind and in front of him still free, but a girl they weren't friends with was sitting in the seat next to him that Macy used to take. As they received detentions for being late, Stella glanced over at where Macy sat, trying to study her face. She wasn't being distracted by Joe and Nick at all. In fact, her eyes were on the whiteboard in front of her, writing down the notes that had already been written up. Her cell phone rested on the desk next to her, and for her to have it out on the desk so openly, Stella guessed that she had asked for permission, and it had been granted. Once seated and her teacher's eyes weren't on her anymore, Stella sent a quick message to Macy to ask if she was alright, and ask her if she wanted to talk, and she watched as Macy scrambled to pick up her phone as it flashed, and seeing it was just Stella, looked over at her, with an expression that told Stella that was the wrong thing to do, before looking back at the board, and writing.

As the lesson finished, and both Stella and Joe were reminded of their detentions that afternoon, both them and Nick rushed to catch up with Macy before their next class, but Macy cleverly made herself blend in with the crowds of teenagers trying to get to class, and they lost them.

"Okay, something really is wrong" said Nick, shaking his head. "I said hey to her when she came into class, but she ignored me, and just went up to Miss Wilson to ask if she could put her phone on her desk. It'd already been discussed with the principal or something, because she just nodded."

"Well she was pissed when I sent her a message...what if someone in her family is sick? Her granny? They were talking this morning, about things being okay, and Macy didn't want to go to school." Remembered Stella.

"But the hating the three of _us_? Not wanting anything to do with Jonas?"

"Perhaps she doesn't want to worry us. Or doesn't want any responsibility if her family needs her around. We just have to be patient. She'll tell us in her own time if it's something that we need to be concerned about." said Nick, furrowing his brow. "Stella, maybe you should invite her over or something, we obviously can't if she's mad at us."

"I was going to anyway." Nodded Stella. "Shopping, clothes customising, anything that's just the two of us."

"Make sure it's away from her family, no stress, no worrying. No Jonas." He sighed. "We really should get to class before you ruin my perfect no tardy record."

"But don't you want to be a rebel like us, little brother?" asked Joe, raising an eyebrow at him. Nick stared at him.

"No wonder Macy's pissed at you." He said, walking in to class. Stella just smirked, and pushed Joe through the door.

Kevin and Nick took their normal lunch table, but just the two of them as Joe and Stella had gone for their detention by now. Nick filled him in the best he could about what was going on with Macy, and though he wasn't sure Kevin understood everything he told him, he was just as worried as the rest of them. They'd never known Macy to not be obsessed with them, or practically fainting at their feet, so for this new Macy to be so distant, even when they were mere inches away, made no sense to them whatsoever.

"Invasion of the Bodysnatchers." Nodded Kevin, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. "What we need to do is see if she lets out a screech when she's around us, and if she does – we run! Got it?"

"...That's a 1970s movie, Kevin." said Nick, shaking his head. "Macy isn't a pod person."

"That's what she _wants_ you to think" he nodded, and Nick shook his head, his attention being taken by seeing Macy enter, looking around a little, frantically. She approached a few people, asked them something, and when they shook their heads, she rushed off to the next person. Leaving Kevin where he was, Nick walked over to Macy, and put his hands on the top of her arms.

"Macy, calm down!"

"Have you seen Stella?" she asked quickly. "I need to find Stella."

"She's got detention, what's wrong?"

"What! Ugh. I need her to drive me home, I came with her this morning, I've got no way of getting home"

"Well don't worry about it, she'll be out soon."

"I need to go now, look just, get off" she said, pulling away from his hands.

"Macy" Nick walked over to her again, grabbing her hand. She froze up a little, but looked at him. "Just give me a second, I'll drive you home. Okay?" Macy looked torn for a second, and Nick just waited silently. She was trying to work out if she wanted help more than she wanted to avoid them, and when she nodded, he knew that whatever was going on at home was bigger than her sudden distance to him.

"Alright. Can we go?" she asked, and Nick nodded, waving a quick goodbye to Kevin as they left for the car. They were just as silent as they walked through the car park to Nick's car, and Nick watched Macy out of the corner of his eye as she furiously tapped away at her keyboard.

"You know, you can call whoever you're texting, if you want. I won't listen" he said, unlocking the door for her.

"No. It's okay. I'm fine" she said, almost robotically, as she got in, and shut the door behind her. Nick rushed around to the driver's door, and got in, starting the engine up.

"Sure?" he asked, as they pulled away.

"Just hurry" her eyes stayed on her lap, as if she was in deep thought. Or maybe, Nick thought, she just didn't want to look at him. As he pulled up at the store, Macy got out, turning back to him a second. "I don't... I mean, I might stay. I don't know. Can you...I mean, if you want..."

"I'll wait" he nodded, looking her in the eyes, and sighing slightly. "Do what you have to do." Macy bit her lip and nodded, hurrying into the store.


	3. Let’s Take A Drive

**Chapter 3 – Let's Take A Drive**

As Nick waited for Macy to finish whatever she was doing at her house, he leant back in his chair, before glancing at his watch. There was about ten minutes left of lunch, and he knew that even if Macy came out of the apartment right now, they wouldn't make it back in time for their next period, so he quickly shot a text to Joe to cover for him, saying he'd explain later, and slipped the phone back into his pocket. He didn't tell Joe he was with Macy, so that Stella didn't call telling him to interrogate her, or wanting to know what she said. He loved her, but he was in the firm belief that if Macy wanted to talk to them, she would; and that from how hard he'd had to push to get her to even look at him, they needed to tread carefully around her if they wanted her to confide in them. Yawning against the back of his hand, he picked his phone up again, and started playing some default game he'd never looked at before. He was never one for single person games, preferring the challenge of playing opposite someone but he was bored, his guitar was in his trunk so he couldn't sit playing it, and his notepad and pen were on the back seat, and plus he wasn't feeling inspired right now anyway. After a while he got restless playing the game and put his phone back, glancing up at the windows of the apartment to see if he could see how long Macy was going to be, but she didn't appear to be in her room, which was the only one that faced out onto the road he was on. He knew Macy had said to wait, but if she was going to stay, how would he know if he was supposed to wait or not? He'd give it ten more minutes, and then he'd knock and see how long she'd be. But still he stared at her window, hoping to get a peek of her in it eventually.

He didn't know why he was so desperate to see her, not really. But something had been missing for him while they were touring, and somewhere inside him he knew that it was that he wasn't seeing Macy's smiling face every day. She wasn't there to scream at them, or faint around them, or make him laugh when she did something clumsy. He knew that Joe and Kevin saw her like a little sister sometimes, and treated her like that. Joe would tease her on the smallest things and embarrass her, whereas Kevin was always there for her to talk to or to act dorky to make her smile. But Nick couldn't see her like that, as a little sister. There was something there for him, and he knew she didn't see it, and probably never would as she was as crazy for all of them equally. But he never smiled, and yet around Macy, the twinkle in her eye, or the glint of her hair as she walked in the sun, or even just the sound of her voice would put a smile on his face. He tried to hide it so much, to keep it to himself when he was around people so they wouldn't guess, but it was getting harder. He knew his brothers would just roll their eyes at him being crazy for yet another girl, and Stella would squeal and probably try and set them up on a date, but Nick didn't want to go through the fuss. Didn't want to get his heart broken by Macy going on a sympathy date with him when she liked them all. No, he'd keep it to himself. It was better that way, then no-one would get hurt.

Looking at his watch again, he realised it had been longer than the ten minutes he'd allotted himself to wait – in fact, it had nearly been twenty, and there was still no sign of Macy. So stepping out of his car and locking the door, Nick paced over to the Misa's store, knocking on the back entrance he'd seen Macy go through nearly an hour ago. There was no answer, but the door was ajar, and he guessed Macy had just forgot to shut it properly in her hurry to get upstairs. Pushing the door open, he shrugged to himself. Macy had probably fallen asleep or something, or she would've let him know that she wasn't going back to school. All he'd do going upstairs would be to check if she was awake, and then if she was asleep, head back to school and explain where he was. He wouldn't look at anything in the apartment that wasn't Macy. Which considering she was normally the only thing he saw when she was around, that wouldn't be hard. Heading up the stairs, he heard a loud, constant noise, one he didn't recognise, but just shrugged to himself. It was probably the TV or something, nothing to worry about.

"Macy?" He called out once he reached the top of the stairs. The apartment was shut off from the stairs leading up to it by a door which led to the apartment, but that too was unlocked when he tried the handle, and carefully he pushed it, and the ear-piercing noise he'd heard as he was coming up the steps got louder, and knocked him back a little. He blinked a few times, getting his bearings, and over the noise, he heard Macy's soft voice coming from down the hall. He couldn't tell the words, but he knew it was her, and something in her voice didn't sound right.

He mentally prepared himself for the scenarios of what could happen now. He could turn away, pretend he heard nothing and go back to waiting in the car, but he'd always know that he left Macy when she was sounding so broken and vulnerable. The alternative was to bite the bullet, go and see what was wrong, and see if he could help. But that brought two other scenarios. Either Macy could open up to him and he'd know what was wrong, or she could push him away, and never speak to him again. Hearing her voice, and a small sob he took a deep breath, and walked into the apartment.

"Macy?" He called again, heading towards Macy's room.

"Nick go back to the car! I...I won't be a minute!" She answered, seeming to be stunned that she heard Nick's voice.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, a few steps nearer.

"Everything's fine, I'll be down just...give me a minute!" She answered again, but Nick was confused that the noise was continuing. "Really Nick just—." She froze as Nick appeared in the doorway of the room she was standing in, and his eyes widened at the sight of her holding the source of the noise. A baby's body was pressed against her chest and she was bouncing it as it's fist clung onto her hair. Nick looked between the baby and Macy, and he could see the tears spilling down her cheeks.

"...Macy?" He asked slowly, taking a step closer to them as she took a step away.

"I don't want to deal with this right now, Nick, I just...my mom couldn't stop her crying, and I think she has colic and she just won't sleep or calm down and I'm going out of my mind, and she's giving me a headache and—"

"The car" said Nick, still staring at the baby.

"Huh? Look I just, I don't think I can go back to school so-"

"No I mean, we'll put it...her in the car. And we can drive around. My mom said that worked with me and Frankie, at least." Nick looked at Macy, taking another step forward, and this time she stayed where she was. Nick was close enough now to place a hand on the small of her back. "Come on."

Nick waited patiently in the lounge while Macy put together a baby bag. None of this was making sense to Nick, about who this baby was or where it came from, but to him right now, none of the answers mattered. Macy was stressed out and unhappy, now was not the time for questions.

"I'm ready" he stood up as he heard Macy's voice again, and looked at her. The baby was now quieter, but still letting out loud cries every now and again, and Macy held out a bag and a car seat for Nick to take. He nodded and put the bag on his shoulder, leading the way out and down to his car, making sure Macy locked the doors this time. Once the car seat was fixed in place, and Macy had her seatbelt on, the car was started. The sound of the engine seemed to quieten the baby even more, and soon the only sound Macy and Nick heard were her unhappy murmurs. For a while they drove around in silence, Nick not really sure where to drive to, instead just following the road, and taking the occasional turn. The only rule Macy had given him was to go nowhere near the school, so he had taken off in the opposite direction.

"Her name's Mackenna." She said, after a long silence.

"Okay." Nodded Nick, glancing into his rear-view mirror to look at her for a second, then turning his attention back onto the road.

"...Don't you have anything else to ask?" said Macy, looking at him confused.

"Not unless you want to tell me anything, no." He said, shaking his head.

"Really? Why?"

"Because...if you went so far as to hiding from us to hide this, then you don't want me to ask, or know anything." They were silent for a minute, before Nick pulled over, but let the engine running. "But if you want to talk about it, I promise I won't tell Stella or the others." Macy looked back at the baby for a second, before nodding.

"...She's my baby." Macy said, swallowing hard. "She's...a month old now. Just about."

"She's why you weren't at school?" asked Nick, and Macy nodded.

"I didn't want to leave her, but me and mom didn't want me leaving school. She said she'd take care of her during the day, as long as I took over and took responsibility once I got home." Macy turned around in her seat to look at her, and saw she was fast asleep now. "I wanted to stay away from school longer, but then when Stella started to come by, and Joe too, mom knew I had to get back to school before people started asking questions."

"Does anyone know?" Asked Nick, cautiously, and watched as Macy shook her head.

"We were really careful. When I started to show I started wearing baggier clothes...then when summer came and I started getting bigger, I just stayed at home all the time, or worked in the store. I'm not ashamed, it's not that, I just...don't want to get called a slut or anything. I don't want people to judge me or her."

"Well... us and Stella wouldn't." Said Nick, avoiding asking the one question that was on his mind, about who's it was. He didn't even think Macy had a boyfriend, not one she'd talked to Stella about at least, otherwise he'd know.

"I wanted to tell Stella, eventually, but I didn't want her letting it slip by accident. And I _mean_ by accident, I know she'd never mean to do something like that. And you guys..." Macy paused again, looking at her lap. "I knew if I was a mom, I had to grow up. Stop being so in love with you guys. And that's why I've been ignoring you all. I didn't want to...love you all again." Nick reached over, and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear after watching it fall in front of her face.

"You can trust me." He reassured.

"I know." She nodded, rubbing her eyes. "I just wanted to do it all myself, because...I chose to have her, I should be the one stopping her crying, or being there to hold her, or...anything like that."

"There's no shame in saying you need help. Like today. If you're so...afraid of being seen out with her, how else would you have been able to calm her down if I didn't offer to drive you around?"

"...I would've found a way." Nick sighed at her words. "That doesn't mean I didn't want you to help! I just...don't want to ask for it."

"Then I guess I'll just have to be extra vigilant to when you and Mackenna need it, won't I?" He smiled.

"You can be her guardian angel." She giggled, and Nick felt himself smile slightly.

"I'll do what I can, that's for sure." He nodded. "You want me to take you both home now that she's sleeping?" Macy nodded. "Do you want to sit in the back with her? Stop you hurting your neck from looking around?"

"Definitely. I don't like being away from her." She said, jumping out of the car, and climbing in the back.

They talked a little back and forth about things as Nick drove, about the tour, about the birth, which was a subject that freaked Nick out so much, about people in school, and about the homework they were probably missing out on after skipping the afternoon's lessons. Too soon for Nick did they reach the store again.

"Thanks for this afternoon." Said Macy, as Nick opened the door for her. She reached out for Mackenna, but Nick stopped her.

"It's okay, I'll get her." He said, rushing around to the other door, and opening it. He unclipped her car seat, and wrapped his arms around her tiny body, careful to support her head as it lulled sleepily onto his chest.

"You're a natural." Said Macy, taken in by the scene. She busied herself by getting the car seat and the baby bag, then started leading their way upstairs. Nick didn't put her down until they reached the nursery, and Macy watched as he carefully lay her down in her crib, and placed a blanket over her.

"There. All done." He said, turning to look at Macy, and found her leaning on the side of the crib, her head in her arms, practically asleep herself. Nick smiled, and nudged her. She jumped, and looked confused.

"I wasn't asleep..."

"Sure, sure." He chuckled quietly. He put a hand on the small of her back again, leading her out of the nursery, and into her room. He frowned at the lack of Jonas posters, but pulled back the comforter for her. "She's asleep, now you sleep, okay? And I'll see you tomorrow." Macy looked up at him as she lay on her bed, and smiled.

"Thanks again Nick. Night."


	4. Just a Movie Day

**Chapter 4 - Just a Movie Day**

"One more math question, and then I'm taking you out of the house for a break" said Nick, glancing over at Macy as she stared at the equation in front of her. Mackenna lay against Nick's chest, her breathing even as she slept yet again. Nick didn't think it was possible for one person to sleep as much as she did, but Macy assured him it was normal.

"Do I have to get it right to go for a break? Because we'll be here all day" she joked, smiling over at him.

"You can do it just...focus. I'll go and put her in her crib, and by the time I'm back, I want you to have finished it." She nodded, and Nick carefully stood up, walking through to the nursery. It had been like this for a few weeks now. Macy was still distant to everyone at school, and taking lots of time off when her mom couldn't cope with the baby, but Nick had been coming by whenever he could to tutor her in what she was missing, and to give her the breaks she obviously needed but would never admit she needed. Kevin had told the others that Nick had left school with Macy the afternoon Nick found out, and Nick could tell he was annoying the others by not admitting he found out anything. The cover story was that he was there to help her with her homework, and that was all. Stella tried to get him to do some snooping while he was at her place, but Nick refused to, especially considering he knew just what kind of secret Macy was hiding.

"Nana will be here when you wake up, little one." He said, crouching down until he was eye-level with the mattress. "Your mommy needs her breaks every now and again. And who knows? Maybe one day your mommy and Auntie Stella'll take you out shopping with them," he chuckled. "Though Stella would probably die from excitement at the idea of dressing you." He watched her breathing for a few minutes more, before grabbing the baby monitor, switching it on, and walking out of the room.

"Done!," Macy announced, passing him her math answer. He looked over it, ran through the calculation a few times in his head, before nodding.

"Looks good to me, now let's go."

"Where are we even going?" laughed Macy, taking the baby monitor from him, planning on giving it to her mom in the store before they left.

"I thought...maybe we would hang out with the others." Nick watched as Macy's face fell.

"Nick..."

"Macy, come on. Please? They're really worried about you. And Mackenna's being taken care of so you have nothing to worry about."

"But—"

"If they ask you any questions, just tell them nothing's wrong, or that you don't want to talk about it, or some other way that'll stop them asking."

"You know Stella'll never stop asking." Macy sighed.

"Macy... Just one afternoon? If it's really bad, you don't have to do it again, I promise. But you need to be a teen too. To hang out and goof off with your friends."

"...Fine" muttered Macy, rubbing her eyes. "If it does go wrong, you know that I'm blaming you, right?"

"Go for it" he laughed, taking her math book away from her. "Go and change, I'll wait out here."

Stella, Joe and Kevin were sitting at the firehouse, Stella lazily picking at the seam of a pair of pants she needed to re-sew, while supervising Kevin and Joe as they made ice cream sundaes and banana splits.

"Ten bucks says he shows up Macy-less" said Joe, as he passed Stella a spoon.

"He said he would so I believe him!"

"...Still say he shows up Macy-less."

"Still say you're an idiot, and you haven't proved me wrong yet" mocked Stella, smirking slightly. "Make it twenty."

"You're on" Joe shook Stella's hand, and careful to keep the ice cream scoop away from the pants. He knew his life would not be worth living if he got a single stain on them, Stella would make sure of it. But he loved teasing her at the same time. To tease her and annoy her was to get her attention completely on him, and that's what he wanted: her. They'd dated once, a few months ago, but Stella had broke it off, deciding that they were better as friends, but it frustrated Joe that she couldn't see the chemistry they still had between each other. They were much more than friends, and he couldn't see why that was so obvious to him, but she was so blind to it. He was about to pass the scoop to Kevin when they heard the front door unlocking.

"We're back, guys!" Called Nick, walking in, followed by Macy, who kept her head a little low, not wanting to meet any of their gazes. Joe rolled his eyes as Stella smirked at him, before squealing, and rushing over to wrap her arms around her.

"Macy we've missed you so much!" She said, grinning. "I have so much to tell you about the tour, and the new designs I'm working on – Jonas fan wear! I'm gonna start selling it, and I wanted to know if you'd sell them on the site and you'd still get a profit and—"

"Stella, air?" said Macy, meekly. She looked up at Stella's face, full of concern, and her stomach twisted slightly. "We can...talk about it later okay? Ooh! Are those banana splits? I love those!" Macy moved out of Stella's way to walk over to the kitchen area.

"Yep! This one has your name on it!" Kevin said, passing her one.

"It literally does...he wrote it in chocolate syrup" said Joe, laughing.

"So what's the plan guys? Are we gonna watch a movie or something?" asked Nick, hovering over to where Macy was now sitting at the kitchen table, scooping up the cream from the top.

"Well I thought that'd be fun. And also yknow...us sitting around...talking..." Said Stella, slowly. A sense of protectiveness came over Nick as he saw her looking over at Macy, who was busy pretending she hadn't heard her, and that she was way more engrossed in the banana than she really was. But there was a twinge of guilt in the corner of Macy's eye, which Nick knew well. It was the same glint she got every time she left to go to school, or whenever Mackenna cried and her mom went to get her instead of Macy.

"I seriously did not bring Macy here for the Spanish Inquisition, Stella." He replied, in an authoritative tone. Stella stared at him, speechless, her mouth dropped open in shock.

"Earth to Malone." Said Joe, taking her by her shoulders, and leading her towards their TV room. It had been set up with various genres of movie, ready for Macy to pick what she wanted to watch. For Nick, this was to reassure her, and remind her she was just like the rest of them, and for the others, it was an attempt at loosening Macy enough to get information out of her, or Nick.

"Hmmm...Casino Royale." Macy said, passing it to Nick, and sending a little smile his way. Nick's favorite, of course, and Nick couldn't help but laugh.

"We have a choice of every girly teenage movie out there, and you pick this? Really?" He smirked.

"What? A girl can't like an action movie once in a while?" She giggled, and the others stared at them, not knowing what to say about their obvious flirting. After Nick put the DVD in, Stella, Kevin and Joe took seats on the recliners, and Nick sat on the couch, Macy tucked into his side tightly. Her eyes were drooping a little as Mackenna had kept her up all night, so Nick stroked her arms and eyelids gently.

"You can sleep if you want," he whispered, trying to keep his voice low so that the others couldn't listen. "I know you didn't get much sleep last night, your mom told me."

"No I can't...The guys...Stella..." She murmured, yawning against the back of her hand.

"I'll deal with it." He said, kissing her hair, and holding her closer.

"They're so together!" Hissed Stella, leaning over to Joe's recliner, and nearly toppling out of her own.

"You break it, you pay for it." Said Joe, leaning in towards Stella a little more. "And you're crazy, no they're not. Nick is Nick and Macy is...well....Macy."

"Who knows who Macy is anymore, Joe, really!" Joe rolled his eyes at Stella's melodramatic answer. "But seriously, have you seen them? The hugs, the standing with her, the head kiss. A head kiss Joe!"

"...You're crazy. Yep, that must be the answer." Joe nodded slowly, turning his head back to the TV. Stella narrowed her eyes at him, and if looks could kill, Joe would be dead by now. She was more determined than ever to find out what was going on with her best friend. Standing up, she walked over to where Macy was half asleep. "Okay, girl time while the guys watch their guy movie, okay? I can do your hair, and nails, and we can talk, and—"

"Stella..." Nick said warningly, keeping his arm around Macy.

"Macy, please? Just us girls. It'll be fun." Stella pouted at Macy, a face she could never say no to, and Macy sighed, stretching.

"Alright, for a little while." She nodded, standing up. She caught Nick's eye, a hint of worry in it, before Stella grabbed her hand and ran up the stairs with her, shutting the guys bedroom door. Macy walked over to Nick's bed and settled on it, enjoying the familiar smell.

"Okay, spill sister. What is going on between you and Nick?"

"What?" Said Macy, her mouth hanging open. "Me? And Nick Lucas? There is nothing going on. For starters, he's a huge rock star, what would he want with me..."

"He spends every second of the day with you, Mace. He does homework with you. All signs are there. He's a member of Jonas! Aren't you excited?"

"He's just a guy, Stella." She muttered, looking down at her lap.

"A guy in your favourite band."

"_Just a guy._" Macy repeated, looking up at Stella, imploring. "Stella please, can you drop it? There is no me and Nick, he's just helping me with...situations."

"What situations? Why can't you talk to me about what's going on? You're my best friend, Macy, and it feels like I don't know you at all anymore."

"...I'm fine." Macy lied, rubbing her temple. The mixture of being tired, and now being stressed was taking it's toll on her, and giving her a headache.

"'Fine' people don't walk around the school like a zombie, and ditch their favourite band, and their best friend, for a whole summer like you did, Macy. Something's happened with you, and to be honest, I'm getting a little mad that you won't tell me."

"Fine. Then I guess we can't be friends." Macy's response was shaky, and hesitant, but she looked up at Stella's shocked face. "You're looking for gossip, Stella, and I'm sorry that I can't be that gossip. And I can't believe that's what our friendship has been to you lately. Just something you can tell everyone else about." She didn't mean the words coming out of her mouth, not really. She knew Stella was someone she could do with having around, helping her out with Mackenna, mainly because she knew that as soon as Stella saw her, she'd fall in love with her. But she wasn't ready for that. Ready for too many people to know. And if that meant pushing her best friend away, she'd do that. Stella was too stunned to speak, just staring at Macy, before she wordlessly turned on her heel, and stomped down the stairs. Minutes later Macy heard the front door slam, and only once she was sure Stella had left the building, did she break down and cry.

"...Dude you know you have to go after her, right?" Said Kevin, remembering back to a few minutes ago when Stella stormed into the room, grabbed her bag, said a bitchy goodbye, and walked out.

"She's probably on her period or something." Joe shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure it's more than that, and if she's upset Macy—"

"She wouldn't do that to her. It's her best friend." Joe didn't look away from the screen for a second, then sighed. "Okay, okay...Kevin, you go after her."

"Why me?!"

"Because you're good at all that emotional girl stuff, I'm not – you know she'll end up hitting me."

"Well I'm not gonna go, Nick can go!"

"Except not." He said, standing up, and moving to stand in front of the television. "Joe, go after her. Now."

"But—"

"If you want her back like you had her before, you'll go and check on her." Joe hesitated, before huffing.

"Fine, fine. A guy can take a hint when his own brothers are turning against him!" He dramatically grabbed his jacket from the coat rack, and headed out the door, cell phone in hand to try and track her down. Nick let out a long sigh, and switched the DVD back on.

"So, what's it like?" Asked Kevin, randomly, causing Nick to pause the movie again.

"What's what like?" He asked, preparing himself for another Kevinism.

"Being around a baby." Kevin shrugged, not taking his eyes off the DVD box he was reading, while Nick stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Excuse me?"

"Macy's baby." Said Kevin simply. He looked over, and smiled at the way Nick was staring at him. "What? You think I've been around mom three times she's been pregnant and not learnt a thing or two?"

"Why would you think...that." Asked Nick, slowly, being careful to not give anything away.

"Her clothes got baggier before tour, and she had this kind of glow to her skin. And they weren't so baggy when we got back, but she wasn't super skinny like before. And she's tired all the time. Because she's being kept awake? Am I doing good?"

"...Why didn't you talk to me! You're not gonna tell Joe and Stella, are you?"

"Nope!" Grinned Kevin. "I didn't want to ask Macy. Yknow, in case I was wrong and she hit me or something. Girls don't like it when you say they look pregnant." He shrugged, and looked back at the DVD. Nick remained staring at him until he remembered Macy was upstairs. She hadn't come down after Stella stormed off, and he felt like an idiot for not realising. Rushing up the stairs, he looked around the room for her, and found her asleep on his bed. Smiling he went over and stepped down into it, lying next to her. The motion of the bed woke her up, and she yawned.

"Sorry..."

"No, I'm sorry for leaving you up here." Said Nick, rubbing her arm. "What happened?"

"Me and Stella are no longer friends." She said, looking away.

"Macy..."

"She wouldn't stop asking questions, trying to get the gossip out of me, and I just...snapped." Macy sighed, resting her head against his chest as he hugged her. "But it's fine, me and Mackenna don't need her."

"You do need her." Said Nick softly, rubbing her arm. "You don't have to be so brave all the time..."

"I'm her mom, Nick. It's up to me if I think Stella isn't good to have around her.

"Just think about it. Please." Nick said gently, brushing some hair away from her face. "By the way um...Kevin knows. He said he worked it out weeks ago."

"What?" She asked, looking at him.

"Long story." Said Nick, shrugging. He paused as he looked at her. He couldn't take his eyes away, and a part of him didn't want to. Macy was just as frozen, as he leaned in and gently placed a kiss on her lips, which she reciprocated, gently. Seconds later, she pulled away.

"Nick, no. I don't have time for this, I—" She was lost for words when her cell phone rang, and she answered without looking up. "Hello? ... Mom what is it, what's wrong?... N-no mom, calm down, shh, it's okay, I—" She looked at Nick, and swallowed. "Y-yeah I'll be there. Right now. No Nick...N-Nick can drive me." She hung up without saying goodbye, and Nick saw the tears rolling down her cheeks before he heard the sob. "The hospital. Mom...Mom called an ambulance. She had a fever, and mom couldn't get it down, s-so..." Nick wrapped his arms tightly around her as she broke down in tears, rubbing her back the best he could, even though he was breaking down just as much inside. Because he'd fallen in love with that baby just as much as he'd fallen in love with her mother.


	5. Confession Time

**Chapter 5 - Confession Time**

"Stella, wait up!" Joe had spotted Stella walking down the street some time ago, but she was making sure to keep walking fast so he didn't catch up to her. She wanted to be on her own, to work out what the hell was going on, and work out when Macy had turned into such a bitch to her, and why.

"Go away, Joe!" She snapped, not turning around once as her heels continued to click along the road. "Macy made it perfectly clear that she doesn't want me anywhere near her, so I'm going to get my things from her place, and then we are _through._ I'm not here to be treated like crap by her." Hearing Joe's pounding footsteps getting closer to her own, she let out a sigh, and stopped until he caught up to her. "What do you want?"

"I want you to explain?" He said, panting. "What did Macy say, and why are you ending your friendship? You were seriously freaking out over what could be wrong earlier."

"She doesn't want my help. In fact she told me that we can't be friends. Who does that?" She had tears in her eyes which had slowed her fast walking down to a snails pace now, and Joe threw an arm around her shoulder, which for once she didn't push off. "Who tells a friend that their friendship is over just because another friend is concerned? Isn't that what friends are supposed to be like? Concerned for eachother?"

"Okay, Stells seriously, deep breaths." Joe sighed awkwardly. He really, _really_ wasn't good with crying girls, especially when it was Stella, because he knew if he said one wrong word, her mood would completely flip, and she'd be yelling and hitting him instead of crying on his shoulder. "Fine, if you wanna do it that way, we will. We'll go to the store and go and get your things, and then...You and Macy can talk it out sometime. When she's less cranky and you're...calmer."

"I am calm!" She snapped, but didn't push Joe's arm off. They were nearing the thrift store when Joe grabbed her arm and stopped her moving.

"Stell, look." He said, pointing to the building where an ambulance had pulled up at the back entrance. Before Joe and Stella could rush over to see what was going on, a paramedic was shutting the doors, and running around to the drivers door, getting ready to drive away. "I hate to say this but...Maybe you were right. About one of her family being sick."

"...And I've been so horrible to her and she was just worrying about her family." Stella frowned. "Joe what do we do! What if she doesn't know somethings happened! We should go back to your place and tell her, get her to the hospital! What if someone's really sick and she needs to say goodbye."

"On it." Nodded Joe, pulling out his cell phone, and dialling Nick and Kevin's numbers. There was no answer, and Joe frowned. "They're not there, what the hell? They were there a minute ago."

"Maybe they've already gone to the hospital?" Suggested Stella, shrugging. "We should go there, see if there's anything we can do...Macy needs us!"

"Are you sure?"

"If one of her family is sick, of course she does, even if she won't admit it." Said Stella, grabbing Joe's hand, and running down the road, back in the direction of the Jonas house.

Nick sat next to Macy in the back of Kevin's car, holding onto her hand tightly. She was staring at the back of Kevin's seat as he drove them to the hospital, not moving, or speaking. As soon as Macy was able to stand without her legs giving way underneath her, Nick had hurried her downstairs, and told Kevin quietly what was happening, who instantly told them that he would drive them so that Nick could sit in the back with Macy.

"It's probably nothing, Mace, don't worry." Said Kevin, frowning as he glanced into the rearview mirror. "Probably a just in case thing, right?" Macy didn't even look up at him, and just kept staring. Nick sighed, and moved his free hand to rub her back in small circles. Her body moved ever so slightly towards Nick, so that her arm was touching his.

"I should never have left her..." She murmured, in a voice that was barely a whisper.

"It's not your fault, don't ever think that Macy. Don't ever think that." Nick kept his voice low to match Macy's, and kissed her hair when she didn't answer. He looked out the window as the car stopped moving, and nudged her slightly. "We're here."

"You want me to come in? Keep you company?" Asked Kevin, turning his body to look at Macy. She didn't move again, and Nick was about to answer that now was not the right time, but Macy made a small nod with her head, which was agreement enough for them.

Macy stayed silent under Nick's arm, which he had wrapped around her shoulder as they approached the receptionist to ask where Mackenna had been taken, and they were directed towards paediatrics. Nick kept looking at Kevin worried, not knowing what to do or say for Macy, but Kevin just shook his head, having no idea how to deal with the situation either. They both kept telling her it'd be okay, but Macy didn't react to anything or anyone until she saw her mom sitting in the corridor, and she rushed over to her, wrapping her arms around her tightly.

"I'm sorry momma..." She sniffed. "I should've been there, I shouldn't have gone out for the day to eat stupid icecream, or watch dumb movies or--"

"Shhh, Macy, honey, it's okay. I was probably overreacting bringing her in, but you can never be too careful with babies. I was the same with you, the slightest sniffle, and I'd rush you to a doctor to see what was wrong. She was burning up, and that's never a good thing, and with her colic too..."

"What...What has the doctor said?" Said Macy, rubbing her eyes roughly.

"Someone's in with her now." Her mom said, looking over at where Nick and Kevin were standing. "Thank you so much for bringing her here. I'm pleased she's finally opened up to someone..."

"Momma, not now." Frowned Macy, keeping close to her, but her mom shook her head.

"Macy, you're not superwoman. You can't right all the wrongs by yourself. You won't contact the father, and if there are people willing to be there for you, to stand by you, to drive you to the hospital at a moment's notice...grab hold of them and cherish them."

"She's right yknow," grinned Kevin, walking over and holding his arms out for a hug. Macy looked hesitant, but let go of her mom and let herself be enveloped into a Kevin hug. "Any time, day or night - we'd even fly back from Azerbaijan to help out! And that's...a real long way away! Right Nick?"

"Absoloutely. Now off, I want to hug her." Smirked Nick, taking Macy from Kevin, and holding her close, stroking her hair. "There isn't a thing you could do that would make me not want to be here for you and Mackenna." He kissed her hair again, whispering so only she could hear. "Even if it's just as friends." Macy looked up at Nick, but he shook his head, letting her know the kiss was forgotten, and let go. She rubbed her face with her hands and took a deep breath, before taking a seat on a metal chair along the hallway. She was only sitting for a few minutes when she heard footsteps thundering down the hall, and she jumped up in case it was someone rushing emergency help to Mackenna, like she'd seen in so many hospital movies and TV shows. As Nick realised it was Joe and Stella running towards them, he instinctively took a step towards Macy, as if he knew that she was going to fall apart.

"Macy! Are you okay? Is your family okay? We saw the ambulance leave your place, and we went back to see if you were at Joe's place and you weren't, and then we figured you were at the hospital so we came to see you and the receptionist sent us here and...I need air." Stella let out a gasp, her shoulders dropping as she panted. Macy stayed silent, not knowing what to say, or do.

"Well, thanks guys for coming but really, we can handle it, you can go and do something together if you want, and we'll let you know what's going on later." said Nick, patting Joe's shoulder.

"Dude, we just spent a half hour rushing here, you want us to leave already?" Said Joe, clearly unimpressed. Stella looked at Macy, and frowned.

"Why didn't you tell us someone in your family was sick...We could've helped, and you didn't need to keep it from us, we wouldn't have worried so much, and--"

"Is there a Macy Misa out here?" Macy still hadn't spoke, and turned around when she heard a voice call her name. Nick gripped her shoulders as the doctor walked over to her.

"Yeah that's...that's me." She said, swallowing hard. With her eyes no longer on Stella, she found it easier to speak. "H-how, what's going on?"

"It was just a little temperature, but like your mom's probably told you, it's important to bring her in if you're worried. They're just getting her ready and you can take her home, and she should be fine in a few days. I've prescribed some antibiotics that have to be given during her normal feeds. If she doesn't get any better, make an appointment with your doctor."

"Thanks..." Murmured Macy. She still felt Nick standing close behind her, and she didn't want to turn around. She knew that Stella had heard all of that, even if she might not have understood a lot of it. She reached her hand out for Nicks, and when she felt his hand touching her's, she squeezed it.

".....Macy?" There was a slight shake in Stella's voice, and Macy couldn't tell if it was tears, or anger, or shock. She didn't answer, too afraid to. "Macy, look at me." Still no answer. "Don't you think you owe me that at least?"

"Stella..." Began Nick, looking over at Stella. Her eyes were wide, and her cheeks damp.

"No Nick, just don't, I don't want to hear it." She pushed away from Joe, who was trying to offer her a tissue, and walked through into the room that Mackenna was lying. Macy didn't move again, before she turned around to look at Kevin.

"Can you take my mom home? Please?" Her voice was quiet, and Nick repeated her request louder when Kevin hadn't heard. He nodded, and reluctantly, Mrs. Misa left with him. "Wait here." She said, once her mom was out of sight. She looked over at Joe, and offered the smallest smile she possibly could, before pushing her way into the room.

"Nick, what the hell? She has a baby?!" Said Joe, standing in front of him. "How! How did any of us miss something like that, how does Stella not know, who, what...how is Macy parent material!"

"She's an amazing parent. She does everything for Mackenna, without hesitating. She grew up for her, she won't leave her side for a second, and she's so hard on herself, and so stubborn that she can do it all on her own, when there's no reason for her to. She could've given her up and walked away, and she couldn't and wouldn't do that. Sounds like a parent to me." Said Nick, looking at the door Stella and Macy had walked through, and wanting desperately to follow her through.

"How can you be so calm, I don't….this just…she's a kid." Joe ran a hand through his hair. "You could've told us, dude. Kevin, too."

"Kevin only found out today, I think. For sure, at least, he said he's known a while. She needed to do it in her own time. Not being pressured or pushed into it."

"So you decided to be the knight in shining armour?" Nick looked up at Joe, who was giving him a knowing look. Wordlessly, he looked down again. "Nick, this just…this whole thing just got a million times more complicated. You can't go there, man. It's not just Macy now. You'd be walking into a ready-made family and…that's not good."

"…I'd go there if she wanted to. But she's already said that it's not like that, so whatever. Don't worry." Nick shrugged, and moved over to the seats in the hallway again, glancing at the door to see when Macy and Stella were going to come back.

Macy tried to keep her breathing as quiet as possible as she walked into the room after Stella. Stella wasn't saying anything either, just standing wide-eyed next to the hospital crib. Macy walked around to the opposite side, slowly reaching in and picking her up, holding her close to her. She wasn't asleep, just quiet, and Macy stared down into her eyes, and it broke her heart to be having to do this alone. She couldn't tell the father. He wouldn't understand, it was too complicated, so many things could go wrong, and nothing good could come of it. I was just her and Mackenna. Mackenna made a gurgling sound, telling Macy that she really was fine now, and she stroked her finger down her tiny cheek, letting her know that everything was okay, even though she knew it was anything but.

"I don't understand." Macy looked up as Stella's broken voice called out. Her face was still wet from crying, and it looked like she'd cried even more since sitting there. "When...when did you know?"

"...Just before the summer. When I got asked to come on the tour and I just...I couldn't have done it. It just all made sense. I could hide and not tell anyone and then...When she was born...I'd work it out. You know I would've loved to have come."

"Doesn't mean you did, or told us or....anything." Stella shook her head. "How...I thought you were sick, or your family, or...I don't even know what. I thought we were friends, Macy, best friends. I've done so much for you, and you didn't think to call and just be like 'Hey I just had a baby!'? I thought you were a virgin, still." Macy felt a tear trickle down her cheek, and she used her wrist to wipe it.

"I was...until me and....him happened, and then...I wasn't." She bit her lip, hoping in her anger Stella wouldn't ask who he was. "And...I couldn't tell you, literally. So many times I picked up my phone to tell you, or as I listened to you telling me all about the tour, and how well everything was going and I just...I couldn't say the words. How could I tell you something like that? I'm ashamed, Stella, it shouldn't of happened but it did, and she's here, and she's not going away. She was a mistake but...one I don't regret making. Not really"

"Don't give me that, Macy. It's not that simple." Stella looked at her, unimpressed.

"Yes it is! She's my child, I want to protect her."

"You had everything going for you." Stella moved over to stand in front of Macy, who held MacKenna even more protectively. "You could get into college on sports scholarships, you're intelligent, and you can't do any of that now."

"I know all that, but there's ways around it, other people have done it. Stella--"

"This is going to be your life now! You and the baby, and I will do what I can, but I am not her parent! And I just...how could you be so stupid to do something like that without protection! I just can't believe you'd be so stupid as to keep it." Macy stared at her, wide-eyed, and swallowed hard. She wasn't an it. She was a she, and Macy's maternal instinct kicked into overdrive. Her eyes narrowed.

"We're out of here." She spat, storming to the door and throwing it open. Stella's heart sank, and she realised that she was being an idiot. Macy needed her more than ever, and she was in no place to judge.

"Macy, I didn't mean--Macy! Wait up!" Nick and Joe stood up as Macy burst out the doors, Stella running after her. "Macy stop! I'm sorry!"

"No Stella, _I'm_ sorry! I'm sorry I can't be like you, so focused on your dreams that anything that gets in the way has to be destroyed!"

"Macy!" Stella's eyes went wide this time, and she ran over to her. "Macy don't, please, don't--"

"No! And I'm sorry that I didn't want to be like you, crying every night for so many weeks, and there being nothing I could do to make you feel better, to stop you telling me how much you messed up and how you couldn't look at Joe without remembering what you did. I may not be the best mom in the world, and I may not always get it right… but at least I didn't abort Mackenna because she didn't fit into my perfect fashionista lifestyle!"

"Stella?" She jumped at Joe's voice, but didn't look at her. Couldn't. Taking a deep breath, she ran as fast as she could out of the hospital.


	6. Stella's Baby

**AN: The point of view on this chapter jumps around a LOT, and goes from past to present, so I'm sorry for any confusion. And hope this clears up the cliffhanger in the last chapter. I'll try and get around to the next one soon!**

**Chapter 6 - Stella's Baby**

No-one spoke for a moment. The only noise that could be heard was the baby noises coming from Mackenna, and Macy gently sniffing, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"Macy, what?" Joe said, eventually, but Macy walked past him, and over to Nick.

"I want to go home, please."

"No Macy, you can't...you're not just going to walk away! You don't just yell something like that at someone, and then get lost!" Joe snapped, grabbing her arm.

"Joe, don't." Said Nick, in a warning voice, coming up to Joe's face, and staring at him.

"You don't think I should know what the hell is going on? What if this was _you_ Nick? What if you found out your girlfriend did something behind your back? Hid something that big from you? I'm sorry we can't all be calm about every situation that comes to us!"

"...She didn't know how to." Said Macy, eventually, looking at Joe, her eyes wet. She was feeling like the worst person in the world right now, and looking at the hurt and the confusion on Joe's face, she couldn't not tell him. "Nick can you take Mackenna back to your place? Or to my mom's or...I don't know."

"Are you sure?" Nick stared at her, stunned that she was going to leave him in charge of Mackenna. "What if I mess up?"

"You'll know what to do. You've been doing a good job so far." Macy sniffed, carefully passing Mackenna over to Nick. "Look after her, okay?"

"You know I will." Nick nodded, kissing Macy's hair, before holding Mackenna close to himself, and hurrying off. Macy looked at Joe, and held her hand out for his keys.

"Come on, I'll drive."

Stella just kept running. She wasn't even sure the direction she was running in, she just turned corners instinctively when she felt the need to, tears still streaming down her cheeks. Running this fast, and aimlessly reminded her of when her and Joe were running away from the paparrazzi. They'd been out on a date for Spring Break, one of their last before they broke up, and they'd been spotted like a fan, who spread the location around Twitter, and they had to run without paying the bill, and run until they could get to the Jonas house, taking a couple of wrong turns on the way to throw people off, and eventually, Joe pushed the door open to his place.

_"Quick, inside!" Joe called, locking the door, and instantly the screaming became more muffled._

_"That was intense! I don't think I've ever feared for my life so much before!" Stella clutched a hand to her heart, waiting for the beating to drop to a normal rate._

_"Ah well, comes with the territory, yknow, dating a hot Jonas." He winked at her, before wrapping his arms around her waist. "Come on, Frankie left some leftover pizza in the refridgerator. How about you go and make yourself comfortable in my room, and I'll bring it up." Stella nodded, and made her way upstairs. Looking around, she found it strangely quiet, and Stella asked him about that as he came in with a slice of pizza for them each, and a glass of coke, with two straws._

_"Kevins out at a pep rally, then he's staying at some hotel in town...Nick's out on a date, surprise surprise, and mom and dad took Frankie away for the weekend for his birthday, so I guess we've got the place all to ourselves. What do you wanna do? Untune all of Kevin's guitars? Mess with Nick's song lyrics book? Possibilities are endless, Miss Malone."_

_"Well right now, rockstar, I just want to be with you." She smirked, putting the plate with the pizza on down to the side, and kissing him. Joe kissed back enthusiastically, and started running his hands from around her neck, down to her jacket, and pulling it off. Stella replied by beginning to unbutton his shirt, then stopped. "Joe, we can't. You know we can't. Your parents want you to wait until you've found the right girl I know, and I don't want you to regret anything, and-"_

_"Stella, you're my best friend." He said, cupping her cheek to silence her. "You mean a lot to me. I'd never regret doing anything with you. Just relax, okay? I promise I'll be careful, and take my time, and we can enjoy this. You always enjoy spending time with me, don't you?"_

_"Joe, you can't compare us hanging out in our free period, throwing paper airplanes at people's heads, to losing your virginity."_

_"Same difference." He laughed, kissing her again. "Do you want to?" Stella thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded._

_"Yeah. I really do want to."_

"I remember that day..." Said Joe, staring out the window as Macy drove. "I mean...yeah of course I remember it, I'm not gonna forget about something like that."

"She enjoyed it, too." Said Macy, shrugging as she focused on driving. She wasn't even sure where they were driving, just that she wanted to get Joe away from everyone, away from needing to see Stella until they'd both calmed down, and honestly, Macy herself wasn't ready to see Stella yet, either. "You know, she always wanted to...lose it to you, yknow. She called me afterwards so excited, and hyperactive, and you won't believe it, but she squealed more than me at a Jonas concert." She glanced at him, and smiled, slightly. "She loved you, yknow. Loves you. I don't know...do we really have to talk about this?"

"...Did something happen then, Macy. Is that what you said in the hospital. Was she...was I going to be..." Joe couldn't finish his sentence. He wanted to know Macy's answer, but at the same time he didn't. He wasn't prepared to hear both that he was almost a father, and that it was taken away from him before he could even accept what was happening.

"Joe..."

"Macy, please. Just say." He looked at her, and she sighed, pulling the car into the parking lot of a store, and turning off the engine.

_Macy had just got home after a soccer game, and was going to take a shower, and then head to bed. She was exhausted after their latest win, and she decided her homework could wait until the morning. However, pushing her bedroom door open, she found Stella sitting on her bed, her eyes red. This was not something Macy was used to seeing. Stella never cried, or if she did, it wasn't as openly as this._

"_Stella, are you okay?" Frowned Macy, taking a seat on the bed opposite her, and held out her hands for her to take. Stella took them, and gripped back tightly._

"_I'm late." She choked out, reaching into her pocket, and pulling out a pregnancy test that she'd bought in the store a little while earlier. "I don't, I mean I'm never, I keep a calendar, and I'm never late, and my mom is never late and we're so in-sync with our times, and I just—"_

"_Stella Malone, deep breaths." Said Macy, her eyes wide. "Have you...yknow...peed on it yet?" Stella shook her head, and Macy pulled the packet open, and handed the stick to Stella. "You want me to come in with you?" Stella nodded, and Macy stood back up, pulling Stella into a standing position, and hugged her tightly. "You'll be okay, you'll be fine." She reassured. Sitting on the sink, the two girls waited until the test was ready. It took two minutes. Two minutes for Stella's fate to be decided, and the two girls walked over to the sink once time was up, and stared down at the small, intimidating smiley face on the screen, and Macy held onto Stella tightly as she broke down._

Stella couldn't breathe by the time she stopped, and had to lean against a wall, taking in big gasping breaths, which was hard when she was crying so hard at the same time. She never wanted to think about that day again. About when she'd sat on the bed with Macy, and told her that there was nothing on earth that was going to get her to keep this baby. She was still at school, she had a promising fashion career ahead of her, and mostly, Joe was a rockstar. A popular rockstar that everyone loved, and there was no way a rockstar of his age could have a scandal about a lovechild. That was the kind of scandal that middle-aged washed up stars release when they need a little more publicity. Joe had everything going for him, and she couldn't ruin that. He was her best friend before he was ever her boyfriend, and she could not be the reason her best friend lost his career, and everything he loved doing. Taking another deep breath, she started walking. This time in the direction of her home. Her mom never knew, she knew she'd probably be pulled out and put into boarding school or a convent or something if she knew. She'd waited until her mom had gone to work, and pulled out the phonebook from under her bed, and called an abortion clinic. They asked her if she was sure, and she told them over and over again that she was. That she couldn't do this. That no-one at her age could.

"Stella, wait up." Stella froze when she heard a voice behind her, and turned slowly when she saw Nick driving up to her, and pulling over next to her. She peeked into the backseat to see Macy's baby strapped in, fast asleep. She had been wrong. She told the doctors time and time again how no-one at her age could, and Macy was living proof that somewhere, someone could. The kid looked happy in the hospital, and Stella saw how Macy's eyes were filled with love just looking at her, and at thinking about that, Stella burst into tears.

"How could I? Why did I...Nick, I killed it. I-I..." Stella pressed her hands to her face and cried into them. Nick stared at her, and frowned.

"You need a ride home?"

"I...I'm nearly there, and I.."

"C'mon Stella, you can't go home looking like that, your mom'll wanna know what's up. Come back to ours with me and Mackenna. I promise, Joe isn't there."

"...Sure Macy'll want me to be around her after all the awful things I said?"

"I'm pretty sure that...Macy's beating herself up enough about what she said to not worry about what you said." Nick shrugged, looking in the rearview mirror at Mackenna. Macy would want this. Her two favourite girls spending time together, even if she wouldn't admit it. "Come on, hop in."

Macy and Joe sat in silence while the story sunk in. Joe's hands were clasped together and his head was resting on them on the dashboard. He was praying, something he rarely did. He wanted to be forgiven for having sex in the first place, for ever letting Stella get into trouble like that, and for not being there when she needed him the most.

"You okay?" Macy asked, when he didn't move for a long time.

"Why didn't she tell me?" He asked, looking over at her again. Macy closed her eyes, and put her hand on top of Joe's.

"The way you're feeling right now? She never wanted you to feel like. And then...when it was all taken care of..." The words made Macy shudder a little, but she continued, "she was fine for a few days...and then what she did hit her."

"I couldn't...even look at Joe." Stella sat on the couch in the Jonas house, a cup of cocoa to one side of her, and Mackenna propped up on her lap. Nick was in the kitchen making himself a drink, and Stella was almost too scared to touch the little girl in front of her. "I had to finish things with him. Knowing that...I did that, and that...it was gone, and knowing it was his, even if he wouldn't have wanted it at this age..." Stella shook her head at herself. "I was a mess, Nick. Then Joe asked me to come on the tour, as friends, and I just couldn't say no to him."

"You didn't think you should've said it to him? If not right away...soon enough." Stella shrugged.

"It was...just over a year ago now, and after a while, things got easier, and it didn't seem important to bring up anymore." Stella shifted Mackenna's position, so she could look at her. "Especially if it was going to hurt Joe. I mean, get serious, Nick. If a girl told you she was having your baby, or that she aborted it, or anything like that, can you seriously say you'd be okay with it?"

"Honestly? I can't answer that, because I have no idea of the answer. I mean...it's not ideal. It's not a situation I'd want to put myself in with a girl, that's why I'm careful, and why I want to wait. All sex is essentially, is the way to make a child, and like my mom says, if I'm not ready for a child, I'm not ready for the intimate stuff."

"Even though Macy's proved it's possible to do?"

"It's possible for her to do with her family's support. And mine. And now, most likely yours, and Joe and Kevin's, and everyone who knows...But on her own, or even if it was just the father around...No-one can handle that much stress by themselves."

"You think she's made a bad decision keeping her?"

"...I think she made the decision that was right for the both of them." Shrugged Nick, looking down at Mackenna again, and smiling at her. "She's great though, right?"

"Mmhmm," smiled Stella slightly, lifting Mackenna up, and resting her over her shoulder. "The second I get home tonight, I am making you _the_ most adorable dress you have ever seen, and a matching purse, because every girl needs a purse. And I'll get you the cutest shoes, and—"

"I think she gets it, Stell." Nodded Nick, but he couldn't help but smile a little.

"You ready to go home?" Asked Macy, once Joe had rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah, I guess." Joe said, pulling on his seatbelt. Once the car was started, they drove in silence. "I don't understand why you told me. I know I asked. But that didn't mean you needed to."

"You wanted to know, you deserved to know, of course I told you." Macy smiled, reaching over and patting Joe on the knee.

"Well it's just...okay Mace, you can tell me to butt out but...it's the same thing."

"Same as what?"

"Same as your kid's dad not being around." Macy didn't speak, and just kept staring at the road. "You thought I had the right to know I was almost a dad...Don't you think he has the right to know that he _is_ a dad?"

"...It's complicated." Was all Macy said, blinking a few times to try and clear her eyes.

"No more complicated than me and Stella, I'm sure." Said Joe, laughing weakly. "He's gonna know one day, Mace. You're gonna be walking around with the kid, and he's going to look at her, and he's going to know. Maybe her eyes, her nose, her mannerisms...somethings gonna give her away."

"Joe, _please._ I can't tell him, he can't know the truth, things are fine as they are."

"Wouldn't you rather he know the truth now than in years to come?" As Macy pulled up outside the Jonas house, she rested her head on her arms, and closed her eyes. He was making sense. Of course he could. But she didn't know if she could mess up his life the same way her's was. "You coming in?" Macy glanced up to see Nick's car in the driveway, and nodded.

"Coming."

Stella looked up as the door opened, and seeing Joe walk in, she handed Mackenna to Nick, and rushed over, wrapping her arms around Joe.

"Stella I am so, so sorry you had to go through all that on your own, I messed up, I know, I'm sorry."

"Joe there wasn't anything you could do, okay? We both did it and...I made the right decision, I know that, it's just...that was our baby, Joe."

"I know. I know that." Joe took a deep breath. "But it's okay. It's alright, we're alright, and...one day it will be the right time for us, and then it'll just happen, and we won't worry. But now was not the right time for either of us. But there will be others. I promise. Just not right now."

"Oh, it sounds to me Joe, that you want us to get back together. I don't believe I agreed to that.." Stella smiled through her tear-streaked face. "I think you should ask me that properly. Yknow, without assuming that I'll agree."

"Aw come on, you're gonna make me be all formal and cheesy and crap?" Joe smirked back, his hands creeping up to the sides of her face.

"If you like a girl, you tell her how you feel. So what do you feel about me, Joe?" Stella's smile was wide now, and Joe rolled his eyes.

"That you're amazing? And gorgeous? And I totally want to be with you like, right this second? That good enough?" Stella tilted her head to the side, and 'mmed' and 'ahhed' a little, before grinning.

"Close enough." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him.

"Someone wanna tell them to get a room?" Said Nick, moving to stand next to Macy. She'd walked in unnoticed, and had been standing by the open door.

"Can I talk to you upstairs?" She said, ignoring whatever Nick had just said.

"Alright," Nick shrugged, and let her lead his way up the stairs and into the guys bedroom. She walked in and sat on the edge of his bedroom area, her feet dangling. "So what's up Mace?"

"You need to...not freak out."

"Okay."

"I mean it Nick, seriously, you...cannot freak out, please, you can't, and I just...promise me."

"...Okay. I promise you I will not freak out about anything you tell me." Nodded Nick, putting Mackenna down on his bedsheets. Macy watched her carefully. "Macy, seriously, what's this about? You're scaring me."

"Nick..." Macy let out a gentle sigh, but a sob followed it out, and she had to take a deep breath to be able to finish her sentence. "You're Mackenna's biological father."


	7. On My Own

**A/N: You guys...are impatient lmao I love it. Thanks Jess for your incessant prodding :) x**

**Chapter 7 – On My Own**

Macy stared at him, waiting for him to speak, to say anything, to react in any way, and in actual fact, his response was scaring her. She slid off of where she was sitting to sit on the bed, and pull Mackenna into her lap. She tried convincing herself again that Joe was right. Nick needed to know this, especially since he spent practically every day with her. But the common sense of him knowing was pushed aside as she watched Nick pace around the bedroom, never once looking down at them. Nick wanted to look at them, but this wasn't going into his head. None of it was making sense. He knew he'd never had sex, he'd remember something like that, but Macy was his best friend, and she had no reason to lie, and he could've assumed she meant father in the acting like her father way - which was weird to him but he would've understood – but she had said biological. Meaning that some part of her was just like him, and that was the part that didn't make sense to him the most. He spent so much time with her, that if this had been true, he'd know. He'd just know. So there was only one logical explanation to all of this.

"You're lying."

Macy looked up at him, not believing what he said, trying to read his face, but he'd already turned away again, continuing to pace.

"Why would I lie about something like this?" She said, frowning. "Look Nick, you...me...it happened, okay? Trust me, I know it happened."

"Funny. Because I know it didn't happen, because I'd remember something like having sex!" he snapped at her, even though he hadn't meant to, but he was too angry and confused to apologise. "How can you even suggest something like that when I know that I'm a virgin!"

"...You were drunk." Macy walked over to Nick, but he turned away again sharply, and Macy had to hold back tears. Looking up at the ceiling to recompose herself, she walked over and sat on Kevin's bed. "Remember...Stella's cousin, Billy? When he came to visit for his birthday he threw that...huge party at Stella's place. He got in all those beers, and he raided Stella's moms wine cabinet, and...Is any of this making sense to you?"

"Vaguely." He said, disinterested. Of course he remembered the party. It was a long while ago, so the details sure, were hazy, but he remembered there being a party, and Stella calling them to come, that it was going to be fun, and to ditch rehearsals for the night to come and hang out. "So?"

"So...you got drunk. And I got drunk but...not as much as you." Macy pulled her hair to one side, and played with the tips. "Don't make me go into it."

"You want to walk in here, claiming that not only we had sex, but you had a baby, and you don't want to explain it?" Nick spun round to look at her, glaring. "I don't understand, Macy! I don't get how you can lie, and say those things, when I know that we didn't have sex! I'd remember something like that!"

_Macy had been at the party for a little while, and she wasn't enjoying it. This was not the kind of party her or Stella were used to seeing. Macy thought big parties when your parents weren't home, where things got broke, and people were throwing up in the bath, were only things of TV shows. But she was living it, and she squealed slightly as a couple started making out on the couch next to her. Her head was hurting from the drinking and the noise, so she slipped out into the backyard for fresh air._

"_Macy. May. Cee. Maaaaay. Ceeeeee." Macy turned and spotted Nick lying on the grass, staring up at the sky._

"_Oh, Nick. Are you okay?" she asked, sitting next to him. He threw an arm around her shoulder._

"_Yeah babe, I'm...I'm good. Real good. But the world...it's spinning. Like real fast." He wasn't looking at her, just at the sky, and Macy giggled._

"_Did you drink a little too much, Nick of Jonas?"_

"_I think I did, Macy of...Misa." He nodded to himself. "Yep. Gonna call you that from now on."_

"_You're actually a real dork, aren't you?"_

"_Macy of sports. Macy of...fansite. Macy of hotness. Mmhmm." Macy's eyes widened._

"_You need to sleep this off, c'mere." She said, pulling him to stand, and leading him out the back entrance down towards her house. It was only a few streets over, and it was dark and quiet enough once they were away from the party that no-one would see just how drunk Nick Lucas was._

"_See, you...you're sweet. And you don't expect me to write a song for you. You just...you're Macy. Pretty Macy." He slurred, still drunk, and it made her blush. "Ohhh, I made you blush. Awesome."_

"_Come on, rock star, you've gotta be quiet, my mom's probably asleep." Macy rolled her eyes, pulling him towards the stairs, and half dragging him up them. Eventually, she pushed the door open, and giggled as he started making noises as she flipped the lights on. "Shhh, someone'll hear."_

"_But I want them to know, Macy! I want them to know how much I want you..." Macy giggled more in her drunk state, but flipped the lights off as it was bright and hurting her eyes._

"_I think you need to sleep on the couch." She nodded, as they both toppled onto it, giggling. She opened her eyes to see she was lying flat on the couch, Nick's body on top of her. She blinked a few times, her glassy eyes mirroring his. He moved a hand to cup her cheek._

"_Macy of...Nick. Because. I like you." He nodded, his head lulling to the side slightly, finding her neck, and pressing kisses there. Macy froze up, at the thought of Nick Lucas. Nick Lucas of Jonas kissing her, but she made herself promise to keep calm. She didn't want him to go away. She couldn't frighten him away._

"_Let's...my room." She said, rolling off of the couch, and away from Nick, and she started towards her room. It surprised her that he followed her in, but she didn't say a word of argument as Nick lay her down, and started kissing her, and they both begun undressing._

"Do you remember waking up on my mom's couch?" Macy said bitterly, looking down at her lap now, instead of at Nick. "And how I told you you'd got drunk and passed out there? You were probably too hungover to remember how awkward I was, and how...nervous I was at you being there. I was so scared that you knew, and that you were going to freak out at me because I was just some crazy fangirl, and not someone you wanted to do..._that_ with. That's why I made you go and sleep on the couch...afterwards. And that I cried because I'd used you, and I was a crappy person. But you didn't say anything, and I was fine with that, and I...I didn't say anything else about it, because you didn't need to know."

"I didn't need to know..."

"No. You didn't."

"Right. And I 'didn't need to know' when you realised you were pregnant? When you were getting bigger and bigger, and I was away, or when you went into labour, or when you held her for the first time? I didn't need to know then?"

"Nick—"

"No, Macy, please, tell me why it's now you suddenly realised that it was something I needed to know, because it's not making any more sense to me."

"You were going on tour, Nick!" Macy let out a sob, her hands locked in front of her face. "You were excited, and so were your brothers, and your mom and dad, and I wasn't going to stop you going! I couldn't come to the shows, no matter how many times you asked me, because I didn't want you to see me like that, and not know. And I couldn't tell you in the middle of the tour, and be the reason why you had to let your fans down, and your family, because I know you would never do that."

"And when I got back. When I was with her." He said, no expression in his voice. He just kept his eyes on her, but this time, she was the one not looking up.

"Because I knew it was too late to tell you. Once you saw her, and you were being so good to her I thought...it didn't matter, because you were there for her, and that was all that mattered, a-and you loved her, and she loved you, and I just thought—"

"I can't listen to this." Nick said suddenly, turning away again and shaking his head. "All these...lies, Macy. I mean, I get it, you need someone around, but to say something like all this—"

"...You don't believe me." She said, quietly. "Nick—"

"You want me to believe this...any of this..." he motioned to where Mackenna was lying on Nick's bed, but he couldn't look at the baby right now. "Then get a test."

"What?"

"I want proof." He looked at her seriously. "I want us to go to the hospital right now, and get a test done, so I know for sure, because I can't...take responsibility for something like this on a whim, okay? I can't do that to my family, or myself, or my career, and—"

"This is your child we're talking about!" Macy stood up, the fire building in her again. "This isn't about your career, or what people will say! This is about her needing her father!"

"You weren't saying that all the times I told you to tell him. You had so many opportunities to tell me if it was me, and you didn't take any of them! I'm sorry I'm the most convenient person to blame, but I'm not just going to step into a family that isn't mine, just because you claim it is!"

"Then what do you want me to do, Nick! I can't turn the clock back, pretend all this didn't happen, because it did!"

"I told you what I want. I want you to get out of this house, and I don't want to...see either of you until you have the results."

"...You don't want to see us?" She asked, staring at him. "You'd miss valuable days with your-"

"Don't say it again, Macy. Just don't."

"I'm not getting a test. If you're going to call me a liar, and deny her—"

"I'm going to call you a liar if you tell me something so crazy, and don't expect me to want proof!" He yelled at her again, his hands in fists. "You didn't tell us about the baby in the first place, how are we supposed to know what else you've been lying about!"

"...Fine. Don't expect us to call you." Macy was nearly at breaking point, the tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn't see the point in wiping them away, and stepped down onto Nick's bed to pick Mackenna up, and held her close, careful to turn her to her face was away from Nick. She knew the baby didn't know his face, but it was important to her that she didn't see Nick, and Nick didn't see her. "Bye, Nick."

"Bye." Macy stared at him, waiting for him to look up at them, but he didn't, and Macy sobbed as she ran down the stairs.

Nick didn't move for a long time. Just sat with his head in his hands, staring at the ground as he took the seat on Kevin's bed that Macy had previously occupied. He looked up when he heard footsteps.

"Dude, that's my bed."

"I know."

"I kinda need to sleep in that."

"I know."

"...You and Macy got into a fight, huh?"

"I kn—wait, how do you know that? Were you listening in?"

"No. There's just nothing else that can make you into a moody dude like girls do. Great for songs, pretty bad for a brother to watch."

"Sorry about that."

"So, what happened?" Nick felt the bed depress next to him. "Mackenna spit up on your keyboard?"

"No."

"Your songbook?"

"No."

"...Not my guitars, right?"

"No Kevin, Mackenna didn't spit up anywhere, okay? This has nothing to do with her, she has nothing to do with me, no matter what Macy says and—" Nick stopped when he realised he'd already said too much, and threw his head back against the sheets.

"...What?" Said Kevin, looking confused, and turning to Nick.

"Do you remember Billy's party?"

"Stella's cousin? Dude, that was crazy. You were puking all next day that we had to call off recording for the day. Joe told dad you got food poisoning."

"I was that bad?" Said Nick, looking at him.

"Mmhmm. You got mom to pick you up from Macy's, she was pretty worried about you too."

"...I was at Macy's?" He sat up, looking at Kevin. "All night?"

"Mmhmm. You fell asleep on the couch, according to her. She didn't tell us anything embarrassing you said though, don't worry." He watched as Nick groaned, and covered his hands over his face. "Unless you said something really embarrassing that night, and you wanna share it with me now for blackmail?"

"I didn't say anything that wasn't the truth that night, Kevin." Nick sighed. "But I did something...really not good." He stood up, and went and lay back on his own bed, his hands covering his face. He sat up all of a sudden, finding something digging into his back. Sitting up and turning on his side, he found it was Mackenna's pacifier digging him in the back. Staring at it, he remembered the number of times he'd tried to coax that thing away from her to make her eat. Or given it to her when she went to bed. Or popped it into her mouth when she was crying.

Her mouth.

"Kevin..." Nick got up again. "You've gotta help me."

"What?"

"The hospital, we need to get there now, and take this, and—"

"A pacifier? What's that gotta do with anything? Nick you're making even less sense than me, and honestly, I thought that was imposs—"

"I might have a daughter, Kevin." Said Nick, grabbing hold of his arm. "And I might have messed up big time."

Macy had put Mackenna down to sleep. She hadn't needed one yet, and wasn't tired, but Macy was too emotionally drained to deal with her right now. On her own. With no-one else to turn to for help. Her mom was out collecting for the store, so the house was quiet, and the store was closed. She had a pile of homework she needed to get done, but pretty soon none of that would matter. She wouldn't be in school to do it. Sitting at her computer desk, she surfed through a few sites, before she pulled out her cell phone, and dialled Stella's number.

"Mace, you okay?" She asked as soon as she'd answered. Just as her and Joe had left to spend some time together, they had heard shouting from upstairs. "What was going on earlier? Me and Joe would've come up but-"

"I just...Stella you...your aunt lives in L.A., right?"

"Aunt Lisa? Well yeah, she does, but she's crazy sometimes, and—"

"But she lives there?"

"Yeah, but Macy, I don't underst—"

"...Can you find out if she knows of any jobs going?" Stella paused before answering, understanding what Macy was telling her, and not wanting to believe it all at the same time. "Stella, are you there?"

"What?"

"Then again, who'd employ a high school dropout who's messed up her life?" Macy started sobbing, holding onto the phone so tightly she thought she might have hung up on her.

"Macy, shh..." Said Stella, wishing she was there in person to calm her down. "It's okay sweetie, you don't have to go, or do this on your own. I know, and Joe and Kevin and Nick—"

"Can you call her? Please? I need to know, Stella."

"But Macy—"

"I'll get on the plane and go there by myself if you don't ask her." She said, interrupting her before Stella could guilt trip her anymore.

"...I'll call her. I promise. As soon as we hang up, I'll call her, and then I'm coming over with icecream." Said Stella. "...Are you sure you wanna do this, sweetie? I mean what about the father, shouldn't he..."

"He knows. And he doesn't want us. So I don't have a choice." Macy closed her eyes again, and ended the call, switching her phone off, and slipping the home phone off of its hook. She let out a sob as Mackenna woke up and started crying, but ignored it, going into her room and lying curled up on her bed, her hands over her ears to block her out. Block him out. She didn't want any of this. Not anymore. Not right now.


	8. Departures and Arrivals

**A/N: One more chapter after this ;)**

**Chapter 8 – Departures and Arrivals**

A week later, Stella sat in the waiting area of Atlantic City airport, watching Macy's bags for her while she went to the bathroom to change Mackenna. She didn't want to be doing this. She wanted to pick up the bags and throw them in the back of the cab that brought them here, and pull Macy in too and take her home. But she'd been stubborn. When Stella came over, Macy had told her everything, about what happened at the party, about Nick being her father, and most importantly, how he didn't want anything to do with either of them. Stella had hugged her, and told her it'd be okay, but she didn't know how it could be. She tried to imagine Joe not believing her about something like that, and the thought scared her enough that after leaving Macy's, she went over to see Joe and made him promise that they'd always be able to tell each other anything, no matter how bad it was. She glanced up as she heard a gurgle coming from Mackenna, and watched as Macy took her seat.

"There we go, all nice and clean, and no more stinky diaper." Macy cooed, lying her back down in her baby carrier. She wiped her own eyes, and Stella knew she'd been crying.

"You don't have to do this." She said, in a last attempt at keeping her here.

"So, what time is Lisa meeting me at the airport?" Macy asked instead, checking her hand luggage for the millionth time, to distract herself.

"4 o'clock. Look, why don't you just take the test and everything will be okay."

"It's really nice that she's letting me stay with her, I swear I'll pay her rent as soon as I get myself settled in that waitressing job she found me."

"Macy..."

"Of course, I have to get things for Mackenna before I start paying rent, but after that there isn't anything else I need money fo—"

"Ma—"

"—Well, apart from diapers, I suppose. And baby formula. And daycare, and—"

"Macy, stop it!" Stella put her hand on her arm, and looked at her. "Just listen to me! If Nick knew you were moving away you know he'd try and stop you."

"No Stella, he wouldn't. I told you, remember? He doesn't want to see me or Mackenna until I get a test."

"Then just humour him and do it."

"I've only slept with one person. I know I've only slept with one person. And looking at her, and knowing who her father is, there's no mistaking where she gets her eyes from, and her cute little nose..."

"Then _tell_ him all that." Stella watched Macy as she stroked Mackenna's face, clearly thinking about Nick, and she couldn't help but think that if things were different, and they were older, and Nick's career wasn't so important to him, this could've had a perfect ending, instead of her watching her best friend leave.

"...I need to get away, Stellbell." Macy's eyes darted back over to Stella, before falling into her lap. "I can't see him around, and know that...he doesn't want us."

"He does want you. You know he wants you. He kissed you, that means something."

"He wants _me._ He doesn't want her. And...she's what's important here. Not me."

"Macy, you can't run away from your problems. She's always going to be her father, and one day she'll want to know him."

"I'll...worry about that when it comes to that, it's...fine."

"It's still running away though, Mace, just-" Stella was about to make another plead, when the Tannoy announced that check-in was open for Macy's flight, and she just looked at her.

"I have to go." She said again, wrapping her arms tightly around Stella. "I love you so, so much. And I'll be fine, I promise. You have to come and visit in the summer."

"And what, risk missing this little fashionista if I don't? I'll be there." Stella smiled sadly, wiping away her tears quickly. "What about...the guys? They're gonna notice you're missing way longer than just a week..."

"I don't care." She said, quickly kissing Mackenna on the top of her head. "...Once I'm gone you can tell them what you want. I just didn't want them...him knowing before." Macy wiped her own eyes, and laughed. "Hey, come on, it's only the other side of the country. It's a seven and a half hour flight."

"Seven and a half hours too many." Pouted Stella, and Macy hugged her a final time before taking a deep breath, and baby carrier in one hand, and suitcase and carry-on luggage in another, Macy took her first steps to her new life.

"Why aren't they here?" Nick sat on a stool in the kitchen area, staring at the doormat.

"What's got into you?" Asked Joe, folding his arms and standing in front of Nick. "You're like Kevin when he sent away all those cereal box tops to get that dinosaur robot."

"Hey don't judge, I was young!"

"It was two weeks ago, Kevin..."

"But it was worth every box of Crunchy Cats..."

"Can you two just quit it?" Snapped Nick, pushing Joe aside slightly so he could stare at the mail slot."

"Nick seriously, what's up? Ever since you and Macy got into that fight you've been is prickly as a nervous hedgehog."

"I don't wanna talk about it, Joe."

"Yeah well I'm guessing you really messed up with Macy, considering she hasn't been at school, and she hasn't been over, and you haven't been to her place, and—"

"I get it, Joseph! I haven't seen her or Mackenna, or even talked about her in a week, I know, okay!" Nick jumped up from his seat as he saw a shadow at the door, and practically snatched the mail from the slot as soon as it arrived.

"Dude?" Asked Kevin, coming over.

"Bills...Love letter to Joe—"

"I'll take that, thank you very much."

"—junk mail, junk mail, letter from sch.." Nick trailed off as he came to the last envelope, stamped with the hospital's logo and name. He looked up at Kevin, who's eyes widened.

"You gonna open it?"

"Of course I'm going to open it, Kevin, I didn't pay five hundred dollars just to admire the envelope." But even as Nick spoke, he still wasn't making any attempt at opening it.

"Someone please tell me what's going on?" Joe walked over, his fan letter still in his hand, but he put it down on the kitchen worktop as he saw the postmark. "...Why do you have a letter from the hospital? Are you okay man?"

"...Macy told me some things, and I needed to see if they were true, and to see if I acted like a jerk for no reason." Nick sighed, putting the envelope to the side. "Who am I kidding? We know it's not going to be true, it was dumb of me."

"Woah woah wait? Things like what?"

"Like nothing, Joe."

"Like Mackenna could be his. It's like a soap opera, I know." Said Kevin, grabbing something from the fridge. "I feel like we should have dramatic music playing or something right now." He turned to face Nick and Joe, who were just staring at him.

"How do you take this so laid back?" Asked Nick, frustrated.

"Is it really the worst thing ever, Nick? Come on, no-ones died, it's not like you and Macy aren't pretty much in love with each other as it is, and these things happen. And plus, I kinda like the idea of being an uncle."

"Enough talk, if you're not gonna open it, I will." Joe grabbed the letter from the table, and before Nick could stop him, he pulled the letter out, and started reading through it, making noises as he read through it, then stopping.

"...Well?" Asked Nick, looking at him. Joe paused, before handing the letter over to him.

"It makes no sense to me, it's just all numbers." Nick stared at the letter, reading through it, then flipped overleaf, and cleared his throat as he read.

"...Based on the DNA analysis, the alleged father, Nicholas Lucas..."

"Nick, come on..." Muttered Kevin, but Joe hit him on the arm to silence him.

"...cannot be excluded as the biological father of the child, Mackenna Misa, because they share genetic markers."

"...What does that mean?" Asked Joe, watching as Nick folded the letter up, but didn't move.

"...It means she is mine." Nick slammed the letter down on the table, and ran upstairs. Joe and Kevin looked at eachother, and Kevin shrugged.

"I think he needs some serious brother talk, jokes aren't really gonna cut it right now." Joe nodded, and followed Nick upstairs.

When he got there, he saw Nick lying on his bed, his phone to his ear, sighing.

"Macy...Look I know you're there, pick up, we need to talk. You were right, okay? About everything. I know that now, and I just..." he sighed again. "Macy, please just call me back when you get this, alright? I...I'll talk to you soon." He ended the call, and threw his phone to the end of the bed, and stared at the ceiling.

"...You okay?" Asked Joe, and Nick didn't answer. "You want me to leave you alone?" Still no answer. "I'm not gonna go away yknow, so..."

"...What if she never talks to me again?" Asked Nick, still not looking at Joe. "What if I've messed up so bad that Macy won't talk to me?"

"...You're worried about Macy right now? Dude, there's bigger things to worry about right now than your little crush, like telling mom and dad, and making arrangements, and deciding if you want to be involved..."

"And all it comes back to is Macy, and needing Macy in my life." Nick sighed again. "She won't return my calls."

"Just keep trying?"

"I will. But I just know. She has no reason to even want to talk to me, I don't blame her at all."

"I can talk to Stell for you..."

"No. It's okay. I'll see Macy on Monday at school. I mean, she can't not go to school, right? She'll have to come back someday, and...if not, I'll go to the store to see her. I mean...them." Joe stayed silent for a long time, and Nick wondered if he'd stopped paying attention, and was playing with his phone instead, but when he looked at Joe, he was looking at him. "What?"

"I just don't know when you got older than me, little bro." Joe shrugged. "You're supposed to be looking up to me, not the other way around."

"Joe, why would you ever want to look up to me?"

"Because if this was me...I'd never man up and take responsibility. And I know I told Stella that everything was okay after she told me about the abortion but...I don't know what I would've done if she'd had it."

"You'd leave her to it?"

"...I think I'd be too scared to go ahead and take the test like you. I'd rather not know than know...yknow?" Nick shrugged. "Would you...rather have not known?"

"No. I wanted to know. I needed to know, and I think if you were in my shoes, you'd want to as well because...as messed up as it is, and as scary as it is to hear...it's happened. And Macy needs me, and so does Mackenna, and I need them both, and however that changes the future...It's gonna change whether I want it to or not."

"Need them? So you're just...gonna be a family because of the kid?"

"No," Nick shook his head, and laughed slightly at himself. "We're gonna be a family because I love them."

The next day at school, Nick was nervous. He'd been up most of the night waiting for Macy to return his call, but she never did, so Nick assumed she was having phone trouble, or maybe she just had a really early night, or was too busy in the store to check her phone, and Kevin and Joe told him to stop trying to think up excuses before he drove them insane. Standing at their locker, Nick looked up as Joe called Stella over, but his heart sunk as he didn't see Macy with her.

"Hi." Said Stella, flatly, as she went to her locker, practically ignoring the guys.

"Wait, what have I done wrong this time?" Asked Joe, slipping an arm around Stella's neck. "I don't think I missed a date, and I haven't ripped my pants in like a week."

"Nothing." Said Stella, flat again, as she carried on down the hall.

"Stella, why isn't Macy at school? Is everything okay?" Asked Nick, rushing to walk at Stella's other side.

"Fine. Peachy. Why wouldn't it be." Stella clearly tensed at Nick being nearby, and the brothers looked at eachother confused as Stella stormed over to Macy's locker, and twisted in the combination.

"Stell, that's Macy's locker."

"Oh, really Joe? I mean, it's not like I've met her at this locker every day since the start of our Freshman year, right? However would I know this is Macy's locker?" Her over-polite sarcasm always hit the guys hard, but normally, they at least knew the reason.

"Stella..." Joe said slowly, as he watched her pull the door open, and start tearing at the Jonas pictures inside it, and putting them in her bag. Next, and more frantically, she started pulling at Macy's books, getting faster and faster until her breath caught in her throat and she let out a sob, slamming the locker door. Everyone in the hallway turned and stared at the loud noise, but Stella glared at them.

"What do you think you're looking at!" She snapped, and quickly the hallway emptied as Stella continued crying. Scared, Nick took a step forward, and Joe pulled her away from the locker, and wrapped his arms around her waist, but she didn't lean back into his arms like she normally would. Her mascara was running, and she found it ridiculous that right now she was more concerned with how bad she looked than the fact that Macy wasn't here.

"Stella, seriously, what happened? Is it Macy? Is she alright?"

"Oh yeah, she's fine. Guess what Nick? You made her move to LA." Stella shrugged, as if it was an everyday thing to say, then shook her head. "You upset her _so_ much by calling her a liar, that she moved seven and a half hours away. Are you proud of yourself or something?"

"...What? But—"

"She didn't want you to know, because she didn't want any of you talking her out of it, because I don't know why Nick, but your opinion actually matters to her, and I think that if you told her to stay, that you told her you believed her, she actually would have done it!" Stella snapped again, wrapping her arms around Joe, and crying into his shoulder. Joe and Kevin stared at Nick, wanting to know what he was going to do next.

"I need you to cover for me. With...school, and teachers, and mom and dad and...Just, cover for me." Said Nick.

"Where are you going?" Asked Kevin, as Nick grabbed Stella's hand, pulling her away from Joe.

"Let go of me!" Whined Stella, but Nick just stared at her.

"You need to come with me to LA so I know where I'm supposed to start looking for her."

Macy leant against the sink, and rubbed her eyes. It was four o'clock, and the lunchtime rush had just finished an hour ago. It was her first weekday, and the last few hours had been the most tiring she'd experienced yet. She'd been working since eight that morning, leaving Mackenna with Stella's aunt, and she was just about finished for the day, having served her last customer, but despite how itchy her uniform was, and how tired and still jetlagged she was, she knew she had to do all of this for Mackenna. It was just the two of them now, with no-one else to help, and she had to prove to everyone, especially Nick, even though he'd never know, that she could do it, and most importantly she wanted to prove to Mackenna that she had enough love for two parents combined.

"Macy, table number twelve." Called the head waitress, and Macy sighed and walked over to the woman, frowning.

"But I was finished up, and I need—"

"Please honey, we're overrun at the moment, two of the girls just had to go home, just do this one for me? If it takes you too long, I'll pay you overtime." Macy knew 'overtime' was the only word in that sentence that mattered, because it meant more money, so she took a deep breath, put on a smile, and grabbed her notepad from the front of her apron.

"Hi, my name's Macy, and I'll be your waitress, now what can I get for you?" She asked brightly, with a smile on her face.

"Well, I was thinking of ordering two stacks of pancakes, one for myself, and one for the beautiful waitress that I want to apologise to, and I'm kind of hoping buying her pancakes when I know she loves them, will be a good step towards that." Macy's eyes widened as the menu was lowered, and she saw Nick sitting there looking at her.

"How did you find me?" She snapped, under her breath.

"We need to talk."

"Can't you see I'm working!" She hissed. "We don't all have the luxury to take a private jet across the country just to mess with someone's head." She turned away from the table, telling herself not to cry, and started taking off her apron, and storing her notepad under the counter. No overtime was worth having to see him right now.

"Macy, please, I'm sorry."

"Nick, don't lie to me like you accused me of lying."

"I know you didn't lie." He said quickly, and she stared at him. "...Can we...please talk? Somewhere quiet? I feel like there's a mob of girls twittering my location as we speak." Macy hesitated, before nodding, letting him follow her out the staff exit, and down to the parking lot where Lisa's car was.


	9. Chapter 9Make It Right

_(AN: Sorry this is shorter than a lot of the chapters, but I'm having some computer issues, and I wanted to get it posted while I still had the computer the chapter was on. Hope that you like it. Please leave reviews!)_

**Chapter 9 – Make It Right**

Macy and Nick drove to Aunt Lisa's apartment in silence. Macy was trying to work out what to do, or say, while trying not to cry at how hard it all was, and Nick sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, not wanting to disturb Macy. If it was silence she wanted to sit in, then he'd respect that. He owed her that at least.

"Is Lisa...taking care of Mackenna?" He asked, glancing across at Macy. At the mention of her name, Macy gripped the steering wheel tighter.

"Yup."

"Doesn't she...work?"

"In between jobs."

"What about aft—"

"Nick, quiet." She snapped, keeping her eyes locked on the road, and not once wanting to take them off. She had to be strong. She knew good things didn't happen for her. Even if Nick was going to accept the truth about Mackenna, she didn't believe he'd ever take responsibility, because of his career, and the fans, and everything else that was complicated. All the reasons why she didn't want him knowing in the first place. She just wanted to hear what he had to say, to brace herself for when he told her he didn't want anything to do with them, and then move on with things, just the way she'd already planned. "We're here." She said eventually, pulling into a parking lot, and getting out the car. Once Nick got out of his side, she locked the car and started walking, forcing Nick to trail behind her. Nick didn't know what to expect right now. Macy seemed so different already to the girl she was a few weeks earlier, and more importantly, Nick couldn't even begin to prepare himself for the impact seeing Mackenna would have on him this time. He had the test results in his bag, but he knew Macy didn't need to see them to know what she already knew. This wasn't an episode of Maury. They both knew he was the dad, it was where they were going to go from here.

Macy showed him into a small apartment, not much bigger than her own one at home, and she dropped her keys into a dish by the door.

"Lisa, I'm home!" She called, and smiled weakly as the woman came running into the room, and stopped as soon as she saw Nick.

"Isn't that one of those Jonas kids?" She asked, staring at him, but directing the question at Macy.

"Yeah. He's Joe's brother. You know...Stella's boyfriend." Said Macy slowly, and she watched as Lisa turned her nose up at him.

"I have a rule in my house..."

"He won't be here long, trust me. He'll be gone by the time you get back from your interview." Said Macy, walking further into the house. "Good luck!" She called from another room, while Lisa was still staring at Nick.

"Hi." He said awkwardly. She continued to stare.

"You hurt that poor little kid in there, and I find out, I swear, I will hunt you down and string you up. They've been through enough. Don't complicate things for them."

"With all due respect, Lisa..." Said Nick slowly, looking up at her. "It's Stella who told me where Macy would be. And she believed in me enough to tell me that, I hope you trust your niece's judgement enough. She's in town, by the way, if you wanted to see her." Lisa remained staring at him, before turning out of the door, slamming it after her. Nick stared at the door as if she was going to burst in at any second and yell at him, but she didn't, and then he heard a voice behind him.

"Are you coming in or not?" Asked Macy, and when Nick turned to face her, he saw she'd pulled the ponytail from her hair, had changed out of her uniform, and was standing with her arms folded, her eyes slightly narrowed at him. Nick stared back, then took a deep breath, and nodded, following Macy through to Mackenna's room.

It was a plain white colour, with a crib and changing mat hinted pink as the only real decoration, aside from the toys placed haphazardly around the room, and the bedding in the crib, where Nick saw Mackenna lying. A lump caught in his throat – or maybe it was his heart jumping at the sight of her – and Nick couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Her eyes were open, and as soon as they locked with his, he realised they were the same soft brown as his, and he just wanted to reach down and pick her up.

"She's resting." Said Macy, as if reading his thoughts, and baked away, hoping he'd follow her, but he didn't. "I'm sure you've seen her before Nick, you can step away."

"I didn't know then."

"Yes you did, Nick!" She sobbed, pushing his arm so that he was forced to face her. "I told you, you knew, and still you didn't see it! How could you not? You just—"

"Have to look at her. I know, I know." Finished Nick, running a hand through his hair. "I just didn't...think it was possible for...that to happen."

"Well it did."

"I know."

"Really Nick? Because I thought even if the results were in front of you you'd find some way of blaming the hospital for messing up, or saying that I messed with the results.."

"I'd never do that."

"I don't know what you'd do now." Macy turned away as she started crying again. "I never thought you'd turn me away, even just as your friend, when I needed you...but you did, and I just.."

"Macy, please."

"No, I want you to get out."

"No, Mac—"

"Go!" She snapped, closing her eyes and hugging herself. "We don't need you." Nick stared at the back of Macy's head, before looking down into her crib and stroking her cheek, and leaving. Once Macy heard the front door slam, making Mackenna start to cry again, she kept her eyes closed, and slid down next to the crib, her arms covering her ears, as she leaned forward, and sobbed for her to stop crying.

Stella was flicking through a magazine that she'd bought at the airport, but she wasn't really paying attention to what it said. She wanted to find out how things were going with Nick and Macy, because she knew that if it all went wrong, Macy would never forgive her for telling Nick where she was, and then she'd be even more mad at herself for letting Macy go in the first place. She heard the door bang open, and she quickly stood up, but from the look on Nick's face, and the fact that he walked straight over to his bed, and lay on it face down, she sighed.

"It went that well, huh?"

"She doesn't even want to see me, or listen to me." Came his muffled reply. Looking to the side, he looked at Stella. "I swear, I will never understand you girls."

"Okay wait, back up." Said Stella, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her anger at Nick had definitely lessened, considering he'd been so quick to fly the pair of them over to go and find her. "Tell me exactly what happened."

"She didn't want to know!"

"Yeah, I said _exactly_. Like, word for word. Macy wouldn't just throw you out."

"Maybe she's nuts."

"Nick! Word. For. Word." Nick sighed, and sat up.

"I told her I knew that she wasn't lying, and asked if we could talk, so she took me back to the apartment, and then I saw Mackenna and Stella…she really does look like me."

"I know she does. That's obvious." Said Stella, standing up to go and make them both a coffee from the coffee area of the room. "Then what?"

"Then I told Macy she looks like me, and that I didn't know before so I didn't realise, and then she asked me to leave, and she wouldn't let me explain, so I left."

"Right." Stella rolled her eyes as she turned to look at him.

"What was the eye roll about?"

"Well what exactly were you going to explain to her, Nick?"

"Well that…she should come home because Mackenna's mine, and that we all want her back, and that we'd figure something out?" Stella didn't answer, but walked to stand in front of him, and motioned for him to stand up. "…What?"

"Just stand."

"But why?"

"Nick…"

"Alright, alright…" He muttered, and as soon as he stood up, Stella slapped him hard. "Ouch! What was that about?"

"Do you think that's really what she wants to hear? That you want her back because everyone wants her back? Or that she should come back just because Mackenna's yours? Or that you'd 'figure something out'?"

"Well what else was there to say."

"Nick, you are so dense!" She let out a scream, then looked at him. "Macy has been through so much, with or without us. So much that she left her home, left her school, left everything behind her. All she wants is stability."

"What?"

"Isn't it obvious? When you found out, you did everything for her, for both of them. They couldn't have done it without you, not for long. You gave Macy the chances she needed to be herself, be a kid again, but at the same time, knew someone was there for Mackenna. That's stability."

"That's what I meant by figuring something out!"

"Really? Because what it sounds like to me is that you'll figure out a solution for something that already had one that worked so well." Nick stayed silent.

"How do I do that?"

"You boys…" She shook her head at him. "You're the songwriter. Nick. You write songs from the heart. You mean your lyrics. Maybe you should use that to your advantage."

After Lisa had got home from her job interview, Macy had shoved Mackenna into her direction, and ran to take a shower. She had to calm down, then get to bed, because she had work in the morning, and she had to get Nick out of her head. He'd be on his way home by now. He'd tried getting her home, probably because Stella had wanted him to try, and it hadn't worked, so he had no reason to be there now. She was just towel drying her hair, wearing her pajamas when there was a knock at the door.

"Lisa, can you get that? I'm busy!" Macy called. There was silence, then Lisa raising her voice in protest, before Macy yelped as the door of the bathroom was pulled open, and Nick stood there. "I told you to go!"

"Macy…hear me out, please. If you still want to stay here afterwards then that's your choice. But just…listen to me first, okay?"

"Macy, he just barged in, I can call the police if you want." Macy looked up and saw Lisa standing there, Mackenna in the crook of her arm, and the phone in the other hand.

"…You have five minutes." Said Macy slowly, taking Mackenna, and letting Nick follow her into the room. As she closed the door, she saw the guitar strap around Nick's neck. "If you think serenading me with some Jonas song is going to make the fangirl in me come back, you're mistaken. She's not there anymore."

"This isn't for her." Nick said, shaking his head. "This is something I wrote for the girl I'm in love with."

"Maybe you should play it for her then."

"I am." Macy watched him as he stood in front of her, and started strumming.

_They say you know when you really find the one,  
__But it's hard to tell with the damage that's been done,  
__But I'd like to say that it's your fault,  
__But I know better.  
__Cause I'm a fool to think you'd wait around forever_

_Maybe I could have loved you,  
__Maybe I could have shown  
__That I still do care about you more than you could know  
__Don't say it's too late to try to make it right_

_I didn't know how good you were for me,  
__Now it's clear I'm seeing all that we could be  
__And I know that it's my fault  
__But I'm gonna treat you better  
__Cause if I had one wish you'd be with me forever_

_Maybe I could have loved you,  
__Maybe I could have shown,  
__That I still do care about you  
__More than you could know  
__Don't say it's too late to try to make it right_

_Is there something I could say  
__Show me how to break it down  
__So before you walk away  
__Take the time to turn around, listen to me now_

_Maybe I could have loved you,  
__Maybe I could have shown,  
__That I still do care about you  
__More than you could know  
__Don't say it's too late to try_

_Maybe I could have loved you,  
__Maybe I could have shown,  
__That I still do care about you  
__More than you could know  
__Don't say it's too late to try to make it right_

As he finished, he looked up at Macy's face, to find fresh tears sliding down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry." He said, moving the guitar back down to his side. "I guess I'll get out of your way." He turned to walk out the room, but stopped as he heard her let out a sob, with a single word attached to it;

"No." Nick turned to look at her, and she was taking steps towards him, Mackenna lying back on the bed. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, and looked up at him.

"Do you swear that this isn't just…some plan to get me to come home."

"Of course I want you to come home. But that's not why I'm doing this. I'm doing it because I can't live with myself knowing the two of you are here, and I'm not."

"And you're not doing this…just because of her? Because Nick if you are, that's not fair on her, or you, or-"

"I would've come just as far for you, and said the exact same things, even if she wasn't here." Nick carefully leaned in to kiss Macy, and he gently sighed as she kissed him back, keeping her arms around him."

"You swear?" She asked again, looking up at him

"I swear on my life." He nodded, running fingers through her hair. "And one day, we won't just be togther. Because when we're older, and not just kids at school… I'll propose to you. And Mackenna will be a bridesmaid, and she'll look beautiful, and I swear…We'll be a family. Because I love you." Macy just stared at him, and didn't say anything, but then she stroked his cheek.

"I love you too. And…I want us to go home. Really go home."

"Really?"

"Of course, why wouldn't we want to come home?" Macy giggled, kissing him again. "So how about it daddy? You gonna help your favourite girls pack their things?" Nick laughed, and nodded.

"You've got it." He walked over to Mackenna and picked her up, before walking back over to Macy, and putting his arm around her too. "Love both my girls so much."


End file.
